Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct that staffing is a key issue but I also think engagement with parents and how the relationship between the HSE and parents is managed is an issue. In far too many areas, whether in Wexford or Dublin 15, there is an intensely confrontational environment. Parents have become frustrated because they have been let down. We need to change that. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and I have been working on this progressing disability services roadmap. We recognise that CDNTs are in place and that they work in parts of the country but not in other parts, primarily because of the staffing issues. This has been led by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, in particular. She has prioritised getting staff in the short term as well as in the long term so that we have a better supply of occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and psychologists coming in. That will involve looking at college places and master's degree courses in the long term and, in the short term, getting these skills added to the critical skills list was an important step taken by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. She has changed the system so that some UK, Welsh and Northern Irish qualifications can be recognised foreign qualifications here so that those people can practise here. All of that will be set out in the roadmap.

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