Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My question relates to disability services as opposed to the cuts to mainstream services that are taking place. I thank the Minister for the response on the specific area of investment in waiting list reduction. Currently, more than 400 people with disabilities are on a waiting list for speech and language therapy. A total of 1,000 people are waiting for physiotherapy. In particular, I am concerned about the growing waiting list for personal assistants. More than 520 people with disabilities are waiting for personal assistants and 680 are waiting for home help hours.

I welcome the renewed focus to address those waiting lists, as opposed to the cuts that have taken place with respect to mainstream services such as cuts in disability allowances, fuel allowances, drug payment schemes and the increase in prescription costs, among others. I am separating the issues in the response. I am particularly interested in the focus of investment on tackling waiting times with a greater urgency. The issue is critically important. Waiting times are of concern, and I am particularly alarmed at the volume and number of people who are waiting.

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