Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was contacted yesterday by a parent who said that numerous parents had contacted her to say their AON appointments had been cancelled due to the High Court ruling. They are being told by CDNT staff that they are not reverting to the previous AON model covered by the Disability Act 2005. Staff have also told these parents that they have received no guidance from the HSE on how to proceed with assessments. All assessments have ceased, no guidance has been issued and children have been moved to a new waiting list until further guidance is given. That needs to be addressed immediately because we cannot have another delay in assessments being carried out.

A long-term plan and a short-term plan are needed regarding staff. A short-term plan is needed because there are children who are waiting for, and need, interventions immediately. We need to look at the critical skills lists and how to entice clinicians and therapists back, but the main problem is to do with the HSE panel.

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