Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A CDNT workforce survey was conducted on 16 October 2024. This survey captured staffing levels across various disciplines and grades, providing a snapshot of the current workforce across 93 CDNTs. While this report only provides us with a snapshot in time, with recruitment having continued in the interim, it is the most comprehensive workforce report we have on CDNTs. It is expected that the full report will be published by the HSE in the coming weeks. The returning data indicates that the CDNT workforce increased by 17% when compared with the 2023 figure. This represents an additional 272 whole-time equivalent staff working across CDNTs. Within those onboarded, the largest growth was in health and social care professionals, accounting for 204 of the 272 whole-time equivalent staff. Most significantly, the CDNT vacancy rate has reduced from 29% in 2023 to 22% in 2024. That is a reduction of 7% nationally. Although recruitment challenges persist, this is a welcome development in the context of an acknowledged international shortage of personnel with the necessary qualifications or experience to fill vacant CDNT posts.

In budget 2025, my Department secured €2.84 million in new development measure funding to provide an additional 40 health and social care professionals. That comprises 20 senior and 20 staff grade therapists. There are also 20 therapy assistants to enhance services, including in-reach services for special schools and special classes, and 15 clinical psychology trainee placements, which are critical to attracting and upskilling undergraduates to work in CDNTs post graduation. The progressing disability services roadmap focuses on the ongoing development of CDNT services to meet current and growing demand, as mentioned earlier to Deputy Ward. That includes a number of measures that will attract and retain staff.

See this speech in context