Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for his response but I believe serious urgency is needed here with what has happened. The HSE has confirmed that in CHO 8, some 3,129 children are waiting between three and 12 months. Those children are being failed. The Tánaiste has outlined the measures which are being taken and I acknowledge them. However, the HSE has confirmed to me that from an overall analysis of data from 2021 and 2022, there was an increase of just 2% in the workforce across all CDNTs. This information is coming from the HSE itself.

Like many others, I believe there are major cultural issues within the HSE which need to be addressed. A cultural problem exists at institutional level in the HSE. I have heard, as I am sure many others have, that people who train as therapists want to work in the private sector or to work abroad - anywhere but the HSE. That would suggest to us all that there are serious problems. I do not believe for one second that throwing funding at it will solve those problems. This needs to be looked at in depth and in detail. My point here is that children need to be given access to vital and basic services.

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