James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I concur with the comments made by my colleagues. Speech and language waiting times can vary from several months to two years. A small child in my area of Dublin North has been waiting nine months for this service. The child's parents must wait and worry before they can find out whether the child has dyslexia, autism or Asperger's syndrome. Schools are restricted in terms of the number of assessments they can receive each year depending on whether they are disadvantaged. However, it does not make any difference if they are disadvantaged. An estimated 10,800 children annually have special educational needs. The limited number of psychologists available are unable to cope with this number. The motion is, therefore, timely.

I echo Deputy McEntee's comments on earlier statements by the Government's spokesperson. After one has clothed, fed and given a person shelter, the most important needs to be met in a civilised society are health and education. Psychological assessment covers both these areas. What happens to children with dyslexia who are not diagnosed before the age of seven years? Their prospects for recovering from their disability diminish with each month. It is harrowing for parents to find themselves wondering whether their child has autism when all the evidence points to the fact that early intervention leads to much improved outcomes. Early intervention is much more advantageous to society and the State because the children in question will not require institutional long-term care and will be able to lead fuller lives in society.

With speech and language therapy currently unavailable, people must avail of the private option. I may have been misquoted earlier when I indicated the Society of St. Paul had spent €4 million. The sum was spent on school transport. The society has received 350 telephone calls from every corner of the country, including Galway, Limerick, Cork, Dublin and the midlands, from people who cannot afford to pay for a psychological assessment for their children, many of whom have been getting into difficulty. The child in Dublin North to whom I referred is experiencing tremendous difficulties with his peers; for example, he is being abused on account of what is described as his "baby talk".

It is also alarming that Ireland has the seventh highest rate of suicide among schoolchildren in the European Union. It is frightening that suicide accounts for 22% of all deaths among those aged between ten and 17 years. Psychological assessment clearly has a major role to play in detecting those in difficulty. For this reason, I ask the Minister to value our greatest asset, namely, our children and address the deficit in the psychological service.

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