Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome Mr. Healy and Ms Griffin to the meeting and I thank them for their presentations. I have two questions, which are both directed to Mr. Healy. He referred in his presentation to the 80 new therapy posts approved for funding in 2014. I understand there has been a delay in advertising those positions and they have not been filled as of today. I ask Mr. Healy to clarify the position. I ask him to explain the basis for the allocation of these posts around the State. Has the HSE made any attempt to ascertain the number of therapy posts needed to ensure that the disability network teams will be fully staffed?

What body, if any, measures the outcomes or consequences for children who are not getting the necessary level of therapeutic interventions in an educational context? Apart from the impact on the individual, there is a long-term economic cost of failing to assist children at an early age to reach their potentials.