Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, there is a significant difference between a changing bench, which is provided primarily for the toileting purposes of children with severe and profound special needs, and therapy beds, which are far more holistic pieces of equipment that address issues other than the simple toileting facilities. The application received in July was for therapy benches, which I understand are normally funded by the Department of Health. Had that application been for changing benches last July, that application would have been assessed as such. As those benches had been funded by my Department in the past, one could reasonably expect they already would have been funded and already would be in place. There has been confusion and perhaps a breakdown in communication between the school concerned and my Department. I do not lay blame at anyone's door but changing benches have been funded in the past and I assure the Deputy that changing benches will be funded in the very near future. This will not drag on for anything longer then perhaps two or three more days. The application in question is with the Department now and is being assessed. I fully and wholeheartedly agree with the Deputy that neither children nor adults with special needs should be subjected to those difficulties. The issue will be resolved and perhaps could have been resolved a lot sooner had those differences of opinion not arisen as to how precisely one would describe these pieces of equipment.

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