HOW TO HIRE · HEALTH & WELLBEING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a speech & language therapist in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A speech & language therapist in Ireland costs €70–€150 per session, typically around €100. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
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THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a speech & language therapist in five steps
- Are you on the CORU register for that profession, and what is your number?A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — collaboration with Professionals — speech & Language Therapists frequently collaborate with educators, psychologists, and medical professionals.
- How does complexity of the case change the price?Two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does duration of sessions change the price?Time on the job is the largest part of the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Family Support & Training — in addition to direct therapy, therapists often offer guidance and training for families — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a speech & language therapist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
- Who insures you, and what is the policy number?Expect professional indemnity insurance — ask for the insurer and the limit, because for a hands-on treatment it is the only real recourse — assessment & Diagnosis — speech & Language Therapists conduct comprehensive assessments to identify communication disorders.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
the CORU register
CORU REGULATES BY PROTECTED TITLE, NOT BY WHAT SOMEBODY DOES. Where a title is protected, only a registrant may use it — the physiotherapists' register opened in 2016 and the title became protected once the grandparenting period closed. CORU's registers are open for dietitians, medical scientists, occupational therapists, optometrists and dispensing opticians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, radiographers and radiation therapists, social workers, speech and language therapists and social care workers. Search the name on Check the Register at coru.ie before you book, and if the registration number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there. Not restricted: the treatment itself, where the title is the thing protected — so ask what qualification, from whom, and check the register that does exist.
Search the CORU register for that profession for the name or the registration number before you agree a price. coru.ie →
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance — ask for the insurer and the limit, because for a hands-on treatment it is the only real recourse. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
Identity
Providers on Locufy prove who they are with photo ID before they can be booked; the ID-checked badge shows who has done it, and the document itself is deleted once the check is made. For a speech & language therapist coming into your home it is the cheapest check there is.
Look for the ID-checked badge on the card, before you message anyone.
VAT
No VAT: this service is exempt, so there is none to add and none to reclaim. A quote that adds it is wrong. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: A number you can look up yourself before you agree a price — collaboration with Professionals — speech & Language Therapists frequently collaborate with educators, psychologists, and medical professionals.
A good answer: Two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Time on the job is the largest part of the price. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Family Support & Training — in addition to direct therapy, therapists often offer guidance and training for families — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a speech & language therapist job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance — ask for the insurer and the limit, because for a hands-on treatment it is the only real recourse — assessment & Diagnosis — speech & Language Therapists conduct comprehensive assessments to identify communication disorders.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the speech & language therapist starts, and an itemised invoice after — language Therapy — targets language comprehension and expression, supporting individuals with language delays or disorders.
A good answer: No VAT: this service is exempt, so there is none to add and none to reclaim. A quote that adds it is wrong. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately — language Therapy — targets language comprehension and expression, supporting individuals with language delays or disorders.
Getting the quote right
- Complexity of the case — two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours.
- Duration of sessions — time on the job is the largest part of the price.
- Complexity of the client's needs — a small difference here makes a large difference to the total.
- Specific expertise of the therapist — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They are not on the CORU register for that profession, or the number does not resolve to the name on the quote
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the case — two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours
- They will not talk about it: duration of sessions — time on the job is the largest part of the price
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the client's needs — a small difference here makes a large difference to the total
- A price for the speech & language therapist before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
What a speech & language therapist costs: €70–€150 per session
The figures are for the job, per session, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Child speech therapy and Adult speech therapy each carry their own band. Speech & Language Therapist price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Speech & language therapists near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstComplexity of the case — two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours — that is what the speech & language therapist is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneDuration of sessions — time on the job is the largest part of the price — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfComplexity of the client's needs — a small difference here makes a large difference to the total — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherSpecific expertise of the therapist — specialists charge for knowing which shortcuts are safe — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the speech & language therapist is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, location of services — where you are decides which providers can reach you at all.
- Assessment & Diagnosis
- Speech & Language Therapists conduct comprehensive assessments to identify communication disorders.
- Family Support & Training
- In addition to direct therapy, therapists often offer guidance and training for families.
- Collaboration with Professionals
- Speech & Language Therapists frequently collaborate with educators, psychologists, and medical professionals.
- Child Speech Therapy
- Focuses on helping children develop their speech and language skills through play-based techniques and structured exercises.
- Adult Speech Therapy
- Aims to assist adults recovering from strokes or other neurological conditions to regain their communication abilities.
- Voice Therapy
- Involves techniques to improve vocal quality and manage voice disorders, often used by singers and public speakers.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a speech & language therapist: questions people ask
The cost of speech therapy can be influenced by the therapist's experience, the complexity of the case, and the duration of sessions. Specialised services or additional materials may also affect pricing.
Therapy sessions usually last between 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the individual's needs and the specific goals of the therapy. Initial assessment sessions may take longer.
Whether you need a general therapist or a specialist depends on the individual's specific needs. For complex issues, such as swallowing disorders or neurogenic speech disorders, a specialist may be required.
Yes, many therapists offer packages or can schedule multiple related sessions to address different aspects of communication. Discuss your needs during the initial consultation.
Services outside the scope of a Speech & Language Therapist typically include medical diagnoses or treatments for physical conditions. They focus primarily on communication and swallowing disorders.
Search the name or the registration number. If the number does not resolve to the name on the quote, stop there.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in health & wellbeing
Speech & language therapists near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- CORU — public protection FAQs: which registers are open
- CORU — the registration boards
- CORU — Physiotherapists Registration Board
- Citizens Information — registration of health and social care professionals
- Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010, Schedule 1 — exempt activities
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Revenue — SPEECH THERAPY (Medical and related services) — Exempt
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only