Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Tóibín, I have not seen the report. His question related to the economic division in my Department. Suffice to say that throughout the Covid period there was, unfortunately, a retrenchment in services. We have provided additional resources to the HSE in respect of the hiring of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. I will discuss this further with the HSE and the Minister of State with responsibility for disability regarding the report on Down's syndrome and we will follow through on it. There is a need to provide far greater therapeutic services to children with special needs more generally. Additional funding has been allocated in successive years. I am not clear whether the allocation has been provided specifically to services on the ground. We need to interrogate a bit further the money that has been allocated. Record funding has been allocated to the HSE in respect of therapeutic services, in particular in terms of the progressing disability model it has been pursuing for some years.

Deputy Conway-Walsh referred to the west.

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