Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this Adjournment matter and the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris, for coming to the House to take it. I refer to the provision of speech and language therapy services in County Mayo, in particular Ballina. A number of parents have brought to my attention that there is a serious deficiency in the delivery of the service. I tabled a parliamentary question about same. The difference between the reply received and the reality in Ballina is quite stark. It shows that it is quite often the case that managers in the HSE seem to live in one universe while parents and others have to deal with the reality of a situation.

The initial response concerned a referral that was made to the speech and language therapy services in March 2015. The child was seen in August but for nine months, there has been no intervention. The parents are frustrated in terms of trying to get a service, access information and receive appropriate care for their child.

There has been no intervention and there has been frustration in terms of trying to get service, access information and to get appropriate intervention. As the Minister is aware, early intervention is crucial, especially when one is aged three, as this young child is. There is no backup or service. I understand a staff member was on maternity leave last year and there were other leave issues relating to the Ballina area which added to the waiting list but surely provision could be made in a case such as the one outlined for backup facilities and services to be provided.

When we tabled the parliamentary question we were informed that currently, following initial assessment, the waiting list in north Mayo has 60 cases categorised as high priority and 26 cases categorised as moderate. In north Mayo there have been 101 referrals to the speech and language therapy services up to 17 May, yet there is no full-time speech and language therapist assigned to the Ballina area. The area is covered by travelling practitioners from Castlebar on an irregular basis.

There was a line in the response from the HSE to the effect that waiting times after initial assessment can vary due the number of referrals in a given area and the severity of the cases referred. One would imagine, given that there are 60 high priority cases and 26 moderate cases, and 101 referrals in less than five months, that Ballina would be seen as a priority for a full-time appointment and for a backup service to deal with the list and to assess the groups of 60 children and 26 children and get them into a treatment plan as soon as possible.

There are no audiology services available, so as well as difficulties speaking, many of the children in question cannot hear and cannot avail of support. The service is broken in the eyes of the children on whose behalf we speak and in the eyes of their parents. As one mother told me, she would travel to the moon to get a service, but because she lives in Ballina she is not allowed to access services in Castlebar. Neither can she go to Sligo because her address precludes her from getting the necessary treatment there. That is not good enough in any country, especially not in a republic.

We are either serious about the issue or not. The value of early intervention is crucial. The Minister is aware that if we get early intervention it would save further intervention down the line. Until such time as we get a full-time speech and language therapist and devote full-time attention to dealing with the waiting list, there will be many more children who do not get the necessary intervention who will become dependent on the services. It is no criticism of those working in the service. We need more of them. Parents are taking a stand for their children, their loved ones. Parents are at their wits end in trying to get even basic information. I highlight the difference between a reply to a parliamentary question and the reality on the ground.

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