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

The Bill has several important components that will remove unnecessary barriers in terms of registration with CORU, particularly for social workers. Removing the requirement for two years of continuous work will be a big benefit.

As we know, life gets in the way and sometimes it can be hard to source two continuous years of employment. However, given the huge shortages of therapists, social care professionals and other important health care professionals, I hoped the Bill would be even more ambitious in speeding up the registration process for those seeking CORU registration from overseas. Figures released to me recently via parliamentary questions show that the average processing time for registration has increased from 8.8 weeks last year to 9.6 weeks this year. More worryingly, since 2020 some 697 qualified people, including occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists, have waited for more than three months for registration. These people are ready to work and want to do so. They are able to work in complex fields but are being delayed. We leave them waiting for months, unable to contribute in their chosen professions. This is particularly the case for those coming from other countries. I note there is provision for UK degrees. We should examine the possibility of extending these provisions for people who are properly qualified and accredited in other countries. The reality is that children’s disability network teams, CDNTs, in particular are scandalously understaffed and this understaffing has a huge knock-on effect. Existing staff are facing burnout, or have burnt out. Last year the CDNT in my area had one occupational therapist for 893 children. How is that acceptable in this day and age? The pressure that person is under is unimaginable. At the same time children fall through the gaps due to a lack of therapists, social workers and so forth. Their chance of early intervention is lost because it takes years to have them assessed, to have the school places and to get them to therapies they desperately need.

This Bill has the potential to impact positively on staffing levels for disability services. I want the Minister to liaise with the Department to see what improvements can be made. I am on the ground meeting with families and groups like Families Unite for Services and Support, FUSS, that are campaigning nationally for children with disabilities. They are begging the Minister. We need more action now, especially for families and children with disabilities.

See this speech in context