43 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to require health boards to clear the waiting list for occupational therapy assessment for aids to the elderly at home (details supplied). [5835/02]

As the Deputy is aware, the provision of such services is a matter for the individual health boards in the first instance. My Department asked the Eastern Regional Health Authority, which is responsible for the delivery of health services in counties Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, for its comments on this matter. The difficulties experienced by clients in waiting for assessment, therapy and the provision of appropriate aids by the authority is acknowledged. These difficulties arise from problems encountered in recruiting specialist staff such as occupational therapists.

The authority informs me that the resolution to the current difficulties associated with the recruitment/retention of occupational therapists continues to be actively pursued by local and area health board management. Recruitment-retention difficulties extend right throughout the health service and across a wide range of disciplines, including occupational therapy.