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

I have no doubt that the Minister of State's comments were made sincerely. The issue in Cork now, however, is that there are 11 children's disability network teams but only one of them is fully staffed. More than 800 children are on the occupational therapy waiting list in Cork north Lee, but there is only one occupational therapist, OT, for all of them. Is it any wonder that we are having huge problems with staffing in a health service where the staff are working under these conditions? The pressure and the stress these staff and the therapists are under must be only immense. With two psychologists funded, less than half, 0.4, of the posts have been filled in Cork north Lee. This is a disgrace, because this is a vital service. Children are losing their childhoods while they are on waiting lists. The situation in Cork has reached the stage where there is no longer a postcode lottery. No matter where people live in Cork now, the services are in crisis. The question is how bad the crisis is.

I have heard the Taoiseach, in particular, talk often and loudly about the importance of early intervention. Where is the early intervention for the 293 children who have been waiting for more than two years for speech and language therapy? More than 717 children have been waiting for longer than 12 months for occupational therapy. This situation is not getting better. It is actually getting worse. As for the point the Minister of State made about the challenges, surely someone has looked at the number of children who need support and therapies and has put a plan in place. I say that because there seems to be an ongoing delay in recruitment. When positions come up, it seems to be months before they are filled. We need proactive planning and organisation to fill these posts. The Minister of State, or the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, needs to sit down with the colleges, point out that we have a shortage of therapists and ask those institutions if they can provide the courses to help to fill these posts. We must do something. People, including children, are in crisis. I sincerely ask the Minister of State to do everything she can.

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