No answer.

I have been informed by parents in Cavan in recent days that the only speech and language therapist employed in the children's disability network team is leaving within a few weeks, which means there will be no speech and language therapist there. The management is actively trying to recruit a therapist but it is having serious issues and problems. I know it is a countrywide problem and is not just in Cavan. I just feel the progressing disability services for children and young people programme, PDS, is failing. It cannot work while there is such low participation in the teams across the country. Unless something is done urgently to address this crisis, it is not going to change. Has anything been done to address pay parity between section 38 and 39 organisations? Have exit interviews been held with the therapists who are leaving the teams to find out where they are going and why they are going elsewhere? Have we addressed the lack of career progression within disability services? Within the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, have we increased the number participating in the relevant therapy courses for next year?

I thank the Deputy for raising the question. It is important to say that the PDS roadmap will be launched in the next couple of weeks and it addresses all the factors the Deputy raised.