Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Sinn Féin and Deputy Tully for giving us the opportunity to discuss and hold the Government to account on the deteriorating situation in regard to services for children with disabilities. It is most concerning that just over two weeks ago the High Court decided that the HSE is in breach of the rights of children with disabilities as set out in the Disability Act 2005. That is 17 years ago. The assessment of need that is conducted is simply not adequate to identify the extent and nature of the disability or, crucially, the corresponding level of service that is needed to assist those children in living their lives, in supporting their families and in helping to ensure the children have the best possible chance to live their lives and to maximise their quality of life just like every other citizen of the State.

I am shocked by what has happened. I have sat in this Chamber and heard time and time again that real progress was being made in the assessment of needs of children with disabilities. When I heard of this supposed progress I was happy to hear it but in the back of my mind I was hoping they had the services in place to deal with all of these successful assessments. Little did I think that the first step, the assessment of need, was not being adequately dealt with. I was concerned about the second step, the meeting of those needs and the services to address them. Are we moving children from one list to another? Can the Minister clarify the difference between screening and assessment? I listened carefully to what was being said here in the Dáil. Can the Minister tell me why I thought this assessment was taking place and was virtually completed? I do not refer to pre-assessment and screening; I thought it was done and dusted. I do not know what is happening. I listened to the response earlier and we were told that the Minister would tell us what is happening. I am very anxious to hear that but to be honest I am really disappointed because I believed what I heard and thought we were making progress.

In my own constituency in the last 12 to 15 months I have calling for the CHO 1 area of Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan to be included as part of the school inclusion model which delivers a range of in-school supports and therapies including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and so on. The idea is that special needs assistants, SNAs, would be fully trained and allocated as needed and that additional professional supports would be available to schools. Three years ago the Government approved the setting up of the first pilot programme. I understand Covid intervened. This pilot programme was in CHO 7 and the Minister's constituency is part of that. We were told that the programme would be extended. Time and time again I have asked for this to be extended to CHO 1 and we are still awaiting a response. The reason I have done this is on foot of information I have to hand, for example in regard to the recruitment of speech and language therapists.

There are 32 whole-time equivalent positions allocated but only 19.4 filled. It is not as bad, but it is a similar story in the case of social workers, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Many positions remain unfilled. If the region were included in the next phase of the pilot programme, it would make a real difference. I do not need to tell the Minister that the numbers of children who are awaiting services under CAMHS increases year-on-year.

Yesterday, I received one of the saddest letters I have had in a long time. It was about the total inadequacy of youth mental health services in Sligo and Leitrim, including the lack of beds, the lack of communication between professional teams and the neglect of young people in urgent need of such services. It is dreadful that Deputies or any public representatives have to say to a parent who rings them trying to get a child into CAMHS that the only advice they can give is to bring the child to an emergency department and not to leave until he or she is taken into the service. From the bottom of my heart, I hate doing it because emergency departments are full of people who need immediate help. However, there is nothing else I can say to those parents.

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