Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)

I thank the Minister of State for that. I appreciate the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is responding by saying she will address this and take action. I am disappointed there was not a specific response to the constituency of Dublin North-West or the rationale for why that area in particular has such high lists. The Minister of State might take that back to the Minister to ask what specific interventions will be addressed for this in my constituency. Again, that length of time is truly shocking when we think that the child in question, who is waiting for responses and services, must have been two or three years of age and now would be 16 or 17 years of age. It is absolutely unacceptable.

I did not hear or read in the response any increase in recruitment of staff. Again, this is a key issue. The lack of staffing is clearly identified. The Minister of State identified in his statement the increase in complexity of need and number of referrals so clearly there is an increased need for staff. Existing staff cannot cope with that increase in either. References to workstreams, analysing capacity and aims of developing plans do not say recruitment of staff. I would like the Minister of State to address that in his response. What is the Department going to do to increase the number of staff so it can provide the services needed? Even producing these high-level waiting times does not address the other issue of people waiting six months, a year or two years. This issue, in a matter of weeks and months, has lifelong impacts on children.

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