Ask an Irish speech and language therapist what they earn and you will usually get a careful answer. Pay in this profession is unusually hard to compare, because the three main ways of working are structured so differently that the headline numbers are not measuring the same thing.
This is an attempt at a straight comparison, including the parts that are normally left out.
Key takeaways
HSE salary scales are public and predictable, and they come with pension, paid leave and a defined career path
Private practice pays far more per hour and far less per hour worked, once unpaid administration is counted
Platform work sits between the two, trading a commission for the parts of private practice that are not clinical
The number that matters is not the hourly rate, it is the rate multiplied by the hours you actually get paid for
Working for the HSE
The HSE publishes its consolidated salary scales, so public-sector pay is the one part of the profession that is genuinely transparent. A newly qualified speech and language therapist starts on the staff grade scale and progresses by annual increment, with senior, clinical specialist and manager grades above it, each on its own published scale. Rather than quote figures that change with every public pay agreement, check the current consolidated scales directly on the HSE pay scales page, they are updated with each pay deal.
What the scale leaves out, in both directions. On the positive side: a public service pension, paid annual leave, sick leave, maternity provision, funded CPD in many services, and colleagues down the corridor when a case is hard. On the other: caseload sizes that are frequently well beyond what the evidence would call manageable, waiting lists that are not yours to fix, and limited say over who you see or how often.
Working privately
Private rates in Ireland vary by region, specialism and setting. Looking at published Irish clinic price lists in 2026, initial assessments commonly start around 250 euro and can be considerably more for complex assessments, while standard therapy sessions typically run between 70 and 100 euro depending on length.
The rate is not the income. Independent practice means you are also doing, unpaid:
Finding clients, and the marketing that requires
Chasing and reconciling payments
Writing reports outside session time
Managing cancellations and no-shows, which are pure loss
Insurance, CORU registration, accountancy, and a room to work in
Your own CPD, unfunded
A commonly cited rule of thumb is that independent clinicians bill considerably fewer hours than they work. If you are charging well but only filling part of your week, the comparison with a salaried post is closer than the headline rate suggests.
Working through a platform
Platform work is the newest of the three and the least understood. The model is simple: the platform brings the clients, handles booking and payment, and takes a commission. You do the therapy.
Being specific about our own numbers, since a page about pay that is vague about its own terms is not worth reading:
On Lingo, the therapist sets their own session rate and keeps 85 percent of it. Lingo retains 15 percent. On an 80 euro session that is 68 euro to the therapist. Card processing costs come out of Lingo's 15 percent, not the therapist's 85. There is no monthly fee, no listing fee, and no charge for a profile.
What the commission buys is the list above: the client acquisition, the booking system, payment collection, receipts your clients can claim tax relief on, and the chasing. What it does not buy is a guaranteed income. Platform work pays for sessions delivered, so a quiet month is a quiet month.
So which pays best?
It depends almost entirely on how full your week is and how much unpaid work you are willing to absorb.
If you want predictability, a pension and a team, the HSE is difficult to beat and the non-salary parts are worth real money
If you have a full private caseload and enjoy running a business, independent practice pays the most
If you have clinical time you cannot fill, or you want to work privately without building a practice, a platform converts empty hours into paid ones and charges you only when it succeeds
Most therapists we speak to do some combination, and that is often the sensible answer rather than a compromise.
Sources
Related on Lingo
This article is based on current peer-reviewed research and clinical guidelines. It is intended for informational purposes and does not replace professional clinical advice.