Vol. 559 No. 5
241 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the extra training places created in 2002 offered by the third level insti tutions in each of the areas of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy; the total number respectively that he expects to graduate at the end of the current academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26822/02]
Last May my predecessor, Deputy Michael Woods, announced the provision of an extra 175 training places in the areas of physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy. These places are being provided in response to the recommendations set out in the Bacon Report (2001) on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for therapists in each of the three areas.
The distribution of the additional places is as follows:
University College Cork, National University of Ireland – Cork25 places – Bachelor of Science in Speech and Language Therapy
25 places – Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy
National University of Ireland, Galway25 places – Bachelor of Science in Speech and Language Therapy
25 places – Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy
University of Limerick25 places – Master of Science in Speech and Language Therapy
25 places – Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
25 places – Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy
There was an intake of 28 to the new physiotherapy course at the University of Limerick in 2002. Preparatory arrangements, including the recruitment of necessary staff, are being made by the institutions concerned to enable first intakes to the other additional courses to commence in 2003.
The number of students in the final year of the therapy courses which are currently up and running is as follows:
PhysiotherapyUCD – 30
TCD – 26
RCSI – 21
Occupational TherapyTCD – 26
Speech and Language TherapyTCD – 23
Therefore, it is expected that the number of students graduating in the areas of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy for the current academic year will be 77, 26 and 23 respectively.
