Speech and language therapy delays
Seán Crowe says Dublin South-West children face a 42-month wait for speech and language therapy and that the system is broken. The Taoiseach says school-based therapy and extra HSE funding for 100 new posts are intended to improve access.
As it is Christmas time, I will not deprive the last few Members. I call Deputy Crowe.
Comment on this
On speech and language supports, the current waiting time for the Dublin South-West school age team is 42 months. There are 80 waiting to go on the list and there are 297 on the list itself. I raised this six months ago and was told then the waiting time was 36 months. It is now 42 months. I am at a loss as to how to move this forward. I have contacted the Minister. I have talked to the Minister of State with responsibility for disability. There is something wrong. There is something broken in the area in this regard if the waiting time for speech and language therapy is 42 months. I am at a loss. Is there any way the Taoiseach can intervene?
Comment on this
There are a number of actions under way to respond to this. First, there is the provision of speech and language therapy through the school system for the first time which we hope will make a big difference. We believe it may turn out to be a better system and a better way to provide speech and language therapy doing it through the education system as well as through the health service.
There is increased funding in the HSE service plan of €2.5 million, which will provide for 100 new therapy posts. It is hoped that will make a difference for Deputy Crowe's constituents and for mine. We are aware from bitter experience that adding additional staff does not necessarily mean any improvement in waiting times and we will need to make sure that the referral systems are appropriate as well.