Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Lowry and Healy for raising the matter. The Government is committed to providing and developing services for children with special needs and to improving access by these children to therapy services in so far as that is possible within available resources. As Deputy Lowry will be aware, health-related therapy supports and interventions for such children can be accessed through both the HSE's primary care services and its disability services, depending on the level of need. Significant additional resources have been invested in recent years in the State's primary care and disability services with a view to enhancing therapy service provision. For example, additional investment of €20 million in 2013 has facilitated the recruitment of 260 prioritised front-line posts for primary care teams.

With regard to disability services, the HSE has recognised that its early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities need to be standardised. To this end, a major reform of therapy resources for children with disabilities aged up to 18 years is currently under way. This involves pooling the resources of all service providers in defined geographical areas so that children receive their therapy interventions from multidisciplinary teams. The HSE's national programme on progressing disability services for children and young people from zero to 18 years aims to bring about equity of access to disability services and consistency of service delivery, with a clear pathway for children with disabilities and their families to services regardless of where they live, what school they go to or the nature of the individual child's difficulties.

An additional €4 million was allocated in 2014 to assist in implementing the programme, equating to approximately 80 additional therapy posts. Further investment of €4 million, equating to €6 million in a full year, has been provided this year to support its ongoing implementation. Full implementation of the programme is expected before the end of 2016.

The reorganisation of disability services in line with the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People programme is under way in south Tipperary. One multidisciplinary early intervention team has been established. Two teams for children aged zero to 18 are scheduled to be in place next year. These new arrangements will incorporate the existing early intervention service. Disability services for school-aged children in the region will continue to be provided by both the HSE and a range of non-statutory service providers until the new arrangements are in place.

At present, children attending Scoil Aonghusa special school in Cashel receive on-site speech and language therapy during the school term. Three sessions of physiotherapy per week are also provided. I am advised that the HSE south Tipperary community services have met the school's parent representative group on a number of occasions to date to discuss the provision of therapy services at the school. The HSE has indicated that the number of health-related therapy posts in south Tipperary is in line with the national average. The HSE is endeavouring to optimise service provision within the resources available pending the rolling out of the new model.

I assure the Deputy that improving access to therapy services for children in primary care and in disability services is a particular priority for the Government. In this context, further funding of €8 million is being provided in 2016 to expand the provision of speech and language therapy through primary care services and to support the reorganisation and expansion of speech and language and other therapies under the Progressing Disability Services programme. The HSE has indicated that it will further consider south Tipperary along with other regions when decisions on the allocation of this funding fall to be made, including in regard to supporting the full implementation of the Progressing Disability Services programme. I hope that is of some help to the Deputies.

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