Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The response from the head of disability services in my area in south Tipperary makes for stark reading. We have two children's disability network teams, CDNTs, in Tipperary and the unfortunate reality is that these teams are not only falling apart but they are non-existent. I have raised this before with the Taoiseach and both CDNT managers posts are vacant, with a temporary appointment to try to cover both. Both team psychologists have left the teams and the only psychologists available are through an agency on a part-time basis. The social worker post is empty, there are two speech and language therapists, there is one senior occupational therapist and there is one nurse available to the teams. That is the extent of the team that has to deal with 600 people on waiting lists. In what world would this be allowed to go on? This is embarrassing and it is a downright refusal of the human rights of the children who need these services. The HSE is unfit to do this, so we need somebody to take a hold of it and ensure these posts are filled, that the proper teams are there and that we have the proper services for young people in dire need.

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