Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The whole idea of the standard operating procedure, or SOP, was to gather information so we could put people on different pathways. However, that only ever got off the ground for approximately six weeks because Covid landed. Again, I am seeking funding from the Minister for Health and am using that funding appropriately to address the backlog. As a new Minister of State in my portfolio, this has given me the opportunity to address whether the SOP is fit for purpose. Will it address the needs of the families and get us the intervention we need in a timely fashion? I hope the Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration will bring in the other lead clinician, Dr. McKenna, to give the balance of the conversation. I am not a clinician and I want to hear from the experts. I hope the committee will also invite the HSE lead to discuss this matter.

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