Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The move by children from Enable Ireland to the child development team seems to be where the gap occurs and where children lose out on the interventions they need. They are getting lost in the transfer and there does not seem to be the continuity of care. As a result, these children are suffering. Parents tell me that while they are in Enable Ireland, the services are there and they get the intervention they need but once they reach six years of age, they go on to the child development team. It is heartbreaking to see people being told that they will have to wait up to four years and five months.

Nine months is too long for the system to lack the expertise and it must have exacerbated the problem in Cavan and Monaghan. I ask the Minister of State to take a positive bias towards the constituency to ensure the backlog is cleared and that parents can get the services they need in the turnaround time of three months laid out by the Department. Ultimately, if the interventions are not there early, there will be repercussions. It has a ripple effect at home, in school, and in school work and it is holding these children back from developing, and from getting the education they deserve and need. It is their basic right to have that. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that such positions do not lie vacant. Can he shine light on why such a position would lie vacant for nine months?

I welcome the additional posts to address the issue. They are needed and are welcome. I hope we will see the benefits for the children on those waiting lists.

See this speech in context