Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The most recent HSE staff census and the work course review highlighted a staff vacancy rate of 34%, or 707 vacancies, in 2022. This is up substantially from a 28% vacancy rate, or 524 vacancies, in 2021. The 2023 figures are not in yet but from engagement with and listening to parents, it is highly likely this will show that the situation has not improved and has become even worse.

In budget 2024, the Government announced that approximately €11 million would be allocated to address waiting lists for clinical assessments. We were told that this funding was being utilised to procure diagnostic autism assessments from the private sector. However, seven months later, we are still waiting for this to be rolled out to parents.

Staff in disability network teams run by section 39 organisations are still waiting to be paid the same rate as those in HSE-run services. We were told this was sorted out in October of last year when the Government reached an agreement with the unions representing section 39 workers. However, the pay agreement has not yet been honoured and section 39-led children's disability network teams and disability service providers in general are unable to recruit and are bleeding staff. It is ridiculous that the Government has allocated €11 million to ease waiting lists but has not spent it and that it has committed to resolving pay parity between HSE and section 39 workers but that this still has not been done. Every day, the wait continues for the families. What actions is the Taoiseach taking to reduce the staff vacancy rate?

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