I have raised the issue of speech therapists and occupational therapists previously and the programme for Government contains a very ambitious agenda in the context of increasing numbers in this regard. In my constituency and in many places throughout the country, there is a serious crisis. Families and children - particularly children on the autism spectrum - cannot access adequate speech or occupational therapy services. When will the Government seek to get to the place it intends to reach? The last time I raised the matter in the House with the Tánaiste, Deputy Fitzgerald, she said the problem was that there were not enough people to fill the posts. When I checked with the HSE, I discovered that there are hundreds of occupational therapists and speech therapists on panels. What is missing is approval from the Department to hire those people.

This is the reason we have put in place the higher levels of investment in the health service, the €14.6 billion to which I referred earlier in reply to a question from Deputy Kelleher. I agree with Deputy Martin Kenny regarding the hiring of front-line speech and language therapists and I want further progress to be made on the matter. The HSE is carrying out a review of how it hires people in the sector. In recent months, the number of people providing the service has increased.

There are 400 people on the panels.

I want the service to be expanded and improved across the country next year.

Today marks World Prematurity Day. Every year, more than 4,000 babies are born pre-term in Ireland. After much negotiation, the Government included a commitment in the programme for Government in respect of early intervention and prevention services for children. In the programme, the Government also promises to commence an in-depth review of the variation in waiting lists across the country. The programme for Government contains a further promise to introduce a new in-school speech and language service, creating stronger links between parents, teachers and speech and language therapists.

In Tipperary, many children have to wait up to 18 months for an assessment of needs before they get any treatment. This is not the fault of the wonderful early intervention teams but is down to the lack of resources. Where are we in terms of the fulfilment of this commitment in the programme for Government to ensure that all pre-term babies and children with special needs receive the support they require to meet their full potential?

Deputy Mattie McGrath and Deputy Martin Kenny made reference to therapists and the need for support. This year alone, an additional 83 posts for speech and language therapists have been sanctioned. That is a 10% increase on last year. On the broader matters raised by Deputy McGrath, they will be considered by the HSE in the context of its service plan for 2017. Deputy McGrath is right to say that this is dealt with in the programme for Government. We want to examine carefully the variations throughout the country to which he has referred. I will refer the matter onto the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, and ask that it be considered.