Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this debate. This is an issue I have been trying to raise for some time. Children's disability services in my constituency of Cork North-Central are in crisis. Unfortunately, my constituency is topping the chart in respect of many of the waiting lists. In November, we had the second longest waiting list for an assessment of needs in the State. In December, we had the most children waiting for speech and language therapy, with the numbers waiting for occupational therapy and physiotherapy following close behind. In November, more than 800 children in the Cork north Lee area were waiting for occupational therapy. Behind each of these statistics is a child and a family on a waiting list. That child is probably regressing and is certainly not making any progress.

I was in contact with a lady whose ten-year-old daughter has been diagnosed with anxiety and dyspraxia but who is still waiting on an assessment of needs. Without this, she cannot access much-needed targeted services. In other words, her life is on hold.

I am helping a young boy who was referred for an assessment of needs in October 2019. He was assessed in April 2020 but no service statement was issued until July 2021. He needs occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychological treatment and social work. In July of last year, his mother received a letter informing her that her child would begin to receive services in July 2022. For a short period of time, this child was getting services. That is the tragedy here because, in that time, the child began to learn words. He was beginning to communicate with his family but, because of the loss of services, he has now regressed and no longer has any words to speak. Can the Minister of State imagine the devastation that his parents feel when they see how their child has regressed before their eyes?

In another case, a mother has told me that her child is waiting for access to speech and language therapy. This mother has gone on a 12-week course which has essentially taught her how to provide her child with the therapy needed. I have spoken with dozens of parents whose children have special needs.

What all those parents tell me is that as soon as their children need a diagnosis, from that moment on they must fight the State to get the services their children not only need but are entitled to.

I am dealing with parents in my constituency weekly who have children in need of these vital services. It is unbelievable that in 2022, given all we know and all we have learned, that we are allowing children and families to be in these situations. Some parents tell me that they go without themselves because they cannot get the services they need and they are now trying to pay for these services privately. Many families cannot afford to do that. It is tragic when parents are trying to provide services that the State should be providing and that the Government has committed to providing, but has failed to do so.

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