Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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The service provided by Familiscope, an organisation set up in 2004 in Ballyfermot to specifically address the psychological needs of the community, is at risk. It received the backing in particular of the Ballyfermot drugs task force because the issue at hand was identified as an area which needed immediate support and redress. Ballyfermot has suffered from a lack of investment by the HSE in speech and language therapy and intervention programmes. Familiscope got the support of the community, the local schools and also the drugs task force to specifically identify children at risk or who might face difficulties in the future and to prevent children and young people from developing behavioural, emotional and communication difficulties as well as psychological and relationship problems, some of which might stem from speech impediments or language difficulties.

It identified a model and had the support of everyone. This model had been quite successful in the past year and a half in which it has been operating. More than 100 children have been assessed and have benefited from early intervention. There is a backlog of children awaiting speech and language assessments through the normal health clinics system of the HSE, whereas Familiscope works with and in the schools to identify problems and to give some type of hope to the children affected. The HSE's response to this success is a terrible indictment of that body. It has cut Familiscope's funding by nearly one third, an absolute scandal. The impact of that cut will mean the service, which could continue throughout the summer months when the schools are on holidays, will have to be suspended.

The problem, as anyone who knows anything about children with speech difficulties must realise, is that such intervention needs to be continuously available. If the therapy is broken, there is a danger that children will revert to where they were before. Indeed, they might not come back again and disengage altogether. The break in routine is the major challenge. For the sake of a measly €24,000, the HSE will endanger the future of 100 children as well as those waiting to access the service. Parents, teachers and everyone who has assessed Familiscope, including the HSE, have said this is a brilliant service and a model that should be replicated elsewhere, yet the response is that its funding is to be cut.

I urge the Minister to intervene at this stage and tell the HSE to find the money elsewhere — to ensure that not only are the cutbacks reversed, but that any additional funds needed for the service are available forthwith. It should ensure that this programme is replicated in other areas where there are children on waiting lists for speech and language services.

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I will be taking the Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this issue and I welcome the opportunity to respond to this matter.

I understand that Familiscope was established in Ballyfermot in 2004 as a result of three local development agencies prioritising emotional and behavioural supports as part of their various work goals. These organisations are the local drugs task force, Ballyfermot Partnership and Urban. Familiscope now exists to work with children, young people, families and groups in the Ballyfermot community who may experience emotional, behavioural, communication or relationship issues.

Familiscope provides a number of valuable services and programmes within the Ballyfermot community. I understand these programmes are funded from a number of different sources, including the Health Service Executive, the Ballyfermot drugs task force, the NDP and Dublin City Council.

The Incredible Years and speech and language programmes referred to by the Deputy are currently funded by the Health Service Executive. I understand from the HSE that in 2007 the local health office Dublin west funded Familiscope to the tune of approximately €124,100. The breakdown of this was €87,800 for speech and language therapy services and €36,300 for implementation of the Incredible Years programme for the Ballyfermot area. Familiscope was informed when the amount of grant was decided that the matter of further funding in 2008 would be reviewed during 2007. This review was carried out in 2007 and, in the context of the HSE's financial situation, the grant was reduced to €102,000 for 2008. However, this funding is for 2008 and will not cease until December 2008. I understand from the HSE that Familiscope was informed of this by letter dated 19 December 2007.

I am informed that as the local health office, Dublin west, is obliged to stay within budget, Familiscope has been informed that unless a budget is approved for it during 2008, funding will cease. The local office is of the view that it was important to inform Familiscope as early as possible about potential difficulties in order that it can seek alternative sources of funding.

Under the dormant accounts scheme, funding has been ring-fenced to support priority projects in RAPID areas. It is understood that an application on behalf of the group concerned and for this specific project has been submitted by the Ballyfermot RAPID area implementation team and a decision in respect of this application is expected shortly.

I want to take the opportunity to outline recent developments in the area of therapy services in the context of the national disability strategy. In launching the strategy, the Taoiseach announced the Government's commitment to a multi-annual investment for disability specific services over a five year period. To the end of 2007, €420 million — revenue and capital — has been allocated to services for people with disabilities since the launch of the strategy in 2004. Additional revenue funding of €50 million was provided in the 2008 budget in respect of the multi-annual investment package. This funding, which was given in the budget, is to meet the costs associated with a range of elements in the multi-annual investment programme.This additional funding will continue to provide a baseline to considerably enhance the multi-disciplinary support services for people with disabilities in line with the Government's commitment to build capacity within the health services and to deliver on the various legislative provisions contained in the national disability strategy.

Demand for speech and language therapy in the health services is very significant, hence the substantial investment which has been provided in recent years. The number of speech and language therapists employed in the public health service has grown from 281 whole-time equivalents in 1997 to 712 whole-time equivalents at the end December 2007 - a 153% growth in that period.

A particular priority for my Department and the Department of Education and Science in recent years has been the expansion of the supply of therapy graduates, including speech and language therapists. Additional courses in speech and language therapy were established in three universities. UCC, NUIG and UL each established courses in speech and language therapy with an initial intake of 25 places on each of the three courses.

The UL course is at masters level and the first cohorts graduated in 2005. The first cohort from the bachelor degree programmes in UCC and NUIG graduated last year. This investment represents an increase in training capacity of 300% in speech and language therapy. The latest information available to my Department indicates that the total number of speech and language therapy training places now stands at 109.