Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 11 May 2021

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth

Children's Unmet Needs: Engagement with Minister of State at the Department of Health (Resumed)

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am here in Leinster House. I thank the Minister of State for attending our committee and for being proactive and dogged, at times, in her Department in championing those with disabilities. I want to jump straight into questions.

Progressing Disability Services is supposed to be progressive and to have more capacity within the community. Something that was not progressive about that scheme was removing therapists and clinicians from special schools and deploying them to community service. I get that there is a balance of one part of society's needs versus another. It is welcome that the Minister of State has taken a bold, brave decision to pause this. She has qualified this by saying that it is not gone entirely but she has put a pause on it. That is good. I was a teacher 12 months ago. Young kids need speech and language therapy and occupational therapy. Well done to the Minister of State.

Has the Minister of State political support for that pushback?