Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of the number of psychologists on the north Tipperary children's disability network team, CDNT. I recently received a response to a parliamentary question I submitted to the Minister for Health in which I was informed that there are currently seven whole-time equivalent psychology posts in the area. Following further inquiries, however, I came to learn that two of these posts are currently unfilled. As things stand in north Tipperary, we have two senior psychology posts and two staff grade psychology posts filled, two vacant staff grade psychology posts and one psychology post that has been filled. Furthermore, the north Tipperary CDNT currently has a caseload of 1,473 children, 339 of whom are on waiting lists for supports.

North Tipperary also has 42 children requiring an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, assessment. Until this assessment is carried out, it is next to impossible for parents to get the supports and early intervention and help they need for their children.

The HSE was unable to tell me how many additional psychology posts will be necessary in the north of my county to clear the waiting list of 339 children as it currently stands. The HSE was also unable to tell me the caseload figure for each psychologist in the area as the number of clients requiring psychology input changes on a daily basis.

I have serious concerns that the HSE is failing to fill these two vacant posts, one of which has been vacant since March 2022. As long as these posts remain vacant, the waiting lists will continue to grow and families and young people will be left without the intervention supports and attention they need and deserve. The psychologists in the filled posts are doing their best. I am by no means criticising their work but they are under too much pressure.

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They are being assigned too great a workload and those in need are not being seen in a timely manner to get the assistance and the interventions they need at a young age. From speaking to numerous families affected by this across north Tipperary, I know there is a deep cause of frustration and concern from a very significant number of people. Particularly when one looks across county boundaries or even parish boundaries, where other areas are served by a better service under a different healthcare region.

I see in Tipperary that there is a divide between the north and south in disability services for children as the county falls into separate healthcare regions. A person's Eircode should not determine the level of care they get. A parent certainly should not have to see their child waiting and not progressing in life as they should, while they wait for these essential services and while children in other areas are receiving interventions much sooner. That is unfortunately the case for early intervention services all too often in north Tipperary. The postcode lottery needs to be tackled.

With 339 children on waiting lists in north Tipperary and with a team of five whole-time equivalent psychology positions expected to cover this workload, this is only going to see this issue exacerbated.

What plans does the HSE have to tackle the growing waiting lists in north Tipperary for children's disability network team supports? When will the vacant positions be filled? How long will it take to clear the backlog of patients waiting for appointments with psychologists? Why has the HSE failed to fill these two vacant positions to date? If it is a case of additional remuneration required to fill these positions, or better administrative supports so that the psychologists can be freed up to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, then packages need to be put in place. The children of north Tipperary need better, more efficient, and more reliable supports in this area.

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