Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)

I want to raise the case of a child in my constituency, Dublin Fingal West. She will be nine next month. I have permission from her parents to use her name, which is Willow. She was waiting for two years for an assessment for speech and language therapy. Thankfully, she has got the assessment and it has been confirmed that she needs speech and language therapy now. However, her parents have been told that it will be another two years before she can receive the speech and language therapy. That means that she will be 11 years old before she can access these vital services. That is not on. At her age, it is already impacting her self confidence and her development. I ask the Tánaiste or the Minister for children and disability to intervene urgently to ensure Willow can access speech and language therapy and get the vital supports she needs.

See this speech in context