Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I also appreciate the interest of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, in this area. Along with Oireachtas colleagues and parents from Cavan and Monaghan, I met the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on Tuesday last. The stories those parents told to the Minister of State that day were really heartbreaking. I had met the parents previously as they have been seeking better services for their children.

It is most disappointing that there is a total of 18.4 full-time equivalent healthcare professional therapy and social work posts vacant in the two children's disability networks in Cavan and Monaghan. As the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has said, it is proving difficult to recruit. There has been a deterioration in services, and particularly in the past five to six years. Far too many children have not yet had assessments. Far too many children, unfortunately, did not get early intervention when they needed it. Parents are paying for private assessments. They are really stretching themselves financially to try to get private assessments to ensure their children can get access to special teaching units and ASD units. What is happening is just not acceptable.

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