Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In November six years ago a referendum was put to the people about children. We were told it was historic and that its aim was to establish a child-centred approach to protecting all children. Another aim was to support families who were struggling rather than allow crisis situations to develop. Part of Article 42A inserted in the Constitution recognises that all children have rights and pledges to uphold those rights by law. On the ground, however, that admirable intent has not been achieved six years later. The assessment of needs for children with disabilities is not being provided. The Disability Act 2005 provides that an assessment should be carried out within three months of it being requested, but the latest figures supplied to my colleague, Deputy Murphy O'Mahony, and to RTÉ news illustrate that there are more than 3,850 children with suspected disabilities who have still not had an assessment.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Finian McGrath, announced in 2016 that 128 disability care teams would be put in place and that they would resolve the waiting times. In 2018 there are only 56 such teams in place and, in fact, the waiting lists have grown longer. There are 37,229 people in the country on speech and language therapy waiting lists. Some 15,000 of them are waiting for the crucial first assessment. A further 7,894 are waiting for their first treatment and 14,300 are waiting for further therapy. Separately, there are 31,000 people waiting for occupational therapy and over half of these, more than 16,800, are children who await a first assessment. More than 6,000 of that 16,800 have been waiting longer than one year for the crucial first assessment.

As one can imagine, this is causing huge frustration, anger and worry for parents and families. Where is the child-centred approach promised in 2012? For those who can afford it, they are paying hundreds of euro just to get a diagnosis. Even in the public system, there are inconsistencies in the treatment across the country, when one can get it. How can the Government stand over this inaction and lack of delivery in any improvement of waiting times for assessments under the Disability Act 2005? Does the Taoiseach believe this situation is defensible and acceptable and what plans does he, as Taoiseach, have in place to ensure these waiting lists are prioritised?

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