Fund shortage could silence speech project

A project which has boosted speech and language skills of young children from Cork’s northside could face closure next year unless it succeeds in securing new funding.

The Happy Talk Project, which works each year with 450 children from young babies to age six, was launched after it was found that many children in the area it serves had speech and language problems on entering school. In 2011/2012 in the Glen and Mayfield areas of Cork City, more than 60% of children in junior infants presented with speech and/or language delay.

However, figures for this year show 63% of children entering junior infants had language skills appropriate for their age — 25% higher than in 2011.