Mr. Pat Healy:

I assure Deputy Conway that the need for additional speech and language therapy in the Waterford area has been clearly recognised. We are trying to develop an integrated approach which takes account of school services, voluntary service provision and the service provided by the Health Service Executive. These are the progressing disability services for children and young people aged from birth to 18 years. The governance for this programme has been introduced following extensive consultation over the past year. Additional posts will be provided in the current year. This year, the south east will receive a proportion of the 120 additional posts to which I referred because the programme is ready to proceed. While we have not yet settled on an exact number, Waterford will receive additional posts in the current year. We are working jointly with the Department of Education and Skills and making progress across the disability and primary care areas.

One of the challenges, particularly in the area of disability, has been the tendency among special schools or classes which have access to services to hold the service for the children to whom it is being provided. This leaves others waiting for a service. What we are trying to do in the progressing disability service is to have an agreed position, protocols and so forth across schools and the health, primary care and disability services. Children will then be referred on an agreed basis and will receive a service on the basis of need, rather than having to depend on the service available to their school. A proper referral pathway will be provided. This service will require additional resources. It is a positive development that 80 posts were provided in 2014. Waterford and the south east will secure some of the 120 additional posts to be created this year.