Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The general failures in the health service are a grave concern to all Deputies but when children are affected, it is doubly concerning. The fact that the services involved are for children with disabilities is extremely difficult to stomach. The Government continues to fall short on delivering for children with disabilities. Long waiting lists and waiting times seem to be embedded in the system, undermining the whole basis of early intervention policies. We have had promises in budget 2019 and we had promises in 2018 about filling therapy posts and other posts to deal with the huge waiting lists for children with disabilities. Unfortunately, only a fraction of those places has been filled.

My colleague, Deputy Donnelly, has outlined the national situation. The figures nationally are frightening. Deputy Niamh Smyth outlined the position in Cavan-Monaghan. I will focus on Tipperary. In south Tipperary, there are 49 children whose assessments of needs are overdue. In north Tipperary, there are 134 children whose assessments of needs are overdue. When we compare these numbers with similar sized counties, Tipperary is way down the list. My only conclusion is that Tipperary is again being forgotten when it comes to healthcare.

There are 200 families in my county who have children about whom a teacher or GP is concerned and where some disability may be at play. They are expected to languish for up to three years before they even receive a proper diagnosis. The chances of those children reaching their full potential is greatly hindered by that delay. This is the greatest crisis of all. These children are being denied their chance to fulfil their potential and after nearly a decade in power the Government has to be responsible for that.

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