Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The south Tipperary children's disability network team is in total disarray. The disability network manager has recently resigned, as has the network social worker. There is a senior occupational therapist vacancy, a speech and language therapist vacancy and a psychologist vacancy. What is going on? There are five whole-time equivalent vacancies in the network. Children with disabilities are being placed on waiting lists with ever-increasing delays. That is not acceptable to anyone in this day and age. It is simply not acceptable to allow children to wait for three or four years when early intervention is vital for the children, their peers, their parents and everybody else. Something has to happen here. The Minister just answered a question from a Deputy who was not satisfied. None of us is satisfied with the way the HSE is carrying on. It just tells us there are staff shortages and pushes us back down the line again. It is just not acceptable to the daoine óga. Cherish our children. What we are doing? We are letting them languish on waiting lists for three, four and five years. It is not acceptable.

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