Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)

In relation to the assessment of need, that will remain a statutory right for people. That is guaranteed. What we need to do is look at the process, make it more efficient and make the waiting times more efficient as well. We need to also look at hiring of speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, OTs, and also dietitians and social workers. It is not just therapists. There is a range. There are multidisciplinary teams required because at present we have the therapists in many cases carrying out the assessments and not enough time is being put into the therapies. I know the Cathaoirleach is aware of this. There is a lot of work happening around the assessment of need process to see how we can make is more efficient. I raised the point earlier about other Departments indirectly looking for an assessment of need where it is not required; where a person is eligible for a particular service and an assessment of need is not needed. We need to look at that area as well.

The Cathaoirleach is correct on the therapy dogs. I have seen that in action. In a school, for example, it is not only that child; it is about the whole school community, the staff and other parents. I met one parent who has a therapy dog at home. Previously, they could not go out into a public setting, for example, to go shopping, because, unfortunately, the child was getting a negative reaction from the public. I am being very honest here. Once they got that the therapy dog, it was a lovely buffer for that child. They can just go out and enjoy social and cultural activities and people understand that dog is there for that child. It is a powerful example of other innovative ways that we can be looking at helping, not only children but people with disabilities. We have guide dogs for the blind and we can do the same in this space as well.