Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

The service provided by Familiscope, an organisation set up in 2004 in Ballyfermot to specifically address the psychological needs of the community, is at risk. It received the backing in particular of the Ballyfermot drugs task force because the issue at hand was identified as an area which needed immediate support and redress. Ballyfermot has suffered from a lack of investment by the HSE in speech and language therapy and intervention programmes. Familiscope got the support of the community, the local schools and also the drugs task force to specifically identify children at risk or who might face difficulties in the future and to prevent children and young people from developing behavioural, emotional and communication difficulties as well as psychological and relationship problems, some of which might stem from speech impediments or language difficulties.

It identified a model and had the support of everyone. This model had been quite successful in the past year and a half in which it has been operating. More than 100 children have been assessed and have benefited from early intervention. There is a backlog of children awaiting speech and language assessments through the normal health clinics system of the HSE, whereas Familiscope works with and in the schools to identify problems and to give some type of hope to the children affected. The HSE's response to this success is a terrible indictment of that body. It has cut Familiscope's funding by nearly one third, an absolute scandal. The impact of that cut will mean the service, which could continue throughout the summer months when the schools are on holidays, will have to be suspended.

The problem, as anyone who knows anything about children with speech difficulties must realise, is that such intervention needs to be continuously available. If the therapy is broken, there is a danger that children will revert to where they were before. Indeed, they might not come back again and disengage altogether. The break in routine is the major challenge. For the sake of a measly €24,000, the HSE will endanger the future of 100 children as well as those waiting to access the service. Parents, teachers and everyone who has assessed Familiscope, including the HSE, have said this is a brilliant service and a model that should be replicated elsewhere, yet the response is that its funding is to be cut.

I urge the Minister to intervene at this stage and tell the HSE to find the money elsewhere — to ensure that not only are the cutbacks reversed, but that any additional funds needed for the service are available forthwith. It should ensure that this programme is replicated in other areas where there are children on waiting lists for speech and language services.

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