Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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6. To ask the Minister for Health when additional healthcare professionals (details supplied) will be recruited in view of long delays for children receiving appropriate therapeutic interventions and supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26865/22]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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There is a very urgent need to recruit healthcare professionals such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists and social workers across Cavan and Monaghan. At present, we have totally unacceptable delays in children with special needs and children with a disability receiving assessments and follow-up treatment and support. Progress in the recruitment of such healthcare professionals is absolutely essential and must be progressed without further delay.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I will take this question on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who sends her apologies to the Deputy.

The HSE acknowledges that the Cavan and Monaghan children’s disability network teams are currently operating their services with reduced staff numbers due to recruitment issues being experienced locally and nationally. The HSE advises that it is currently in the process of recruiting for vacant posts in the areas of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology and social work. It is acknowledged that there are significant challenges in the recruitment of staff due to the availability of options for candidates across the health and social care sector. Senior management in CHO 1 are currently examining a range of options to attract staff.

At present, there are a number of initiatives currently supporting efforts to provide timely therapeutic interventions in the area. There is a joint children’s disabilities and primary care autism spectrum disorder, ASD, diagnostic wait list initiative. This joint initiative has been allocated funding to complete 130 private provider ASD assessments for those waiting longest in Cavan and Monaghan.

The Deputy will be aware that the Cavan children’s disability network team is based in the Hillside facility at Rathcorrick, County Cavan. The lead agency for the team is Enable Ireland. The team has a whole-time equivalent staffing allocation of 24.2 posts, but at this time there are only 15.3 posts in place, with 8.9 vacancies - one can say there are nine vacancies. Having looked at the figures, I note that there were five resignations and there are two people on maternity leave at the moment. This is having a huge impact on these services. The service is currently in the process of recruiting to the vacant positions but it is proving difficult to backfill these positions with minimal interest, if any, in any of the positions advertised.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I also appreciate the interest of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, in this area. Along with Oireachtas colleagues and parents from Cavan and Monaghan, I met the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on Tuesday last. The stories those parents told to the Minister of State that day were really heartbreaking. I had met the parents previously as they have been seeking better services for their children.

It is most disappointing that there is a total of 18.4 full-time equivalent healthcare professional therapy and social work posts vacant in the two children's disability networks in Cavan and Monaghan. As the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, has said, it is proving difficult to recruit. There has been a deterioration in services, and particularly in the past five to six years. Far too many children have not yet had assessments. Far too many children, unfortunately, did not get early intervention when they needed it. Parents are paying for private assessments. They are really stretching themselves financially to try to get private assessments to ensure their children can get access to special teaching units and ASD units. What is happening is just not acceptable.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has been engaged with the Deputy and in various areas in the State. The Minister of State has taken to the road and is holding public meetings in different CHO areas to see what actions can be taken. As the Deputy recognises, it is not for the want of the Minister of State trying.

The occupational therapy and physiotherapy wait list initiative is managed by primary care services in Cavan and Monaghan. It offers assessment and brief intervention to children who are waiting for occupational therapy and physiotherapy. The initiative has commenced in 2022, with the HSE aiming to reduce the number of children on the waiting list over a 12-month period.

Those are two different initiatives that are under way, the primary care autism spectrum disorder waiting list initiative targeting the 130 children and this one. As the Deputy knows, it cannot come soon enough for the parents.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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One thing the parents have highlighted to me in meetings and correspondence is that there has been no international recruitment for such healthcare professionals. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, might take an interest in this as well. There was success in recruiting nurses over the years from the Philippines and elsewhere. Some parents put forward a suggestion regarding international recruitment. Is there an issue with permits for people with the relevant qualifications? I do not think the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, is being used in this area either. There is a question mark over the recognition or status of reports from private practitioners. This area needs to be addressed. If there is capacity within the private sector to buy in that necessary work and expertise, we need to do so urgently. Are there proposals to increase the number of places in our colleges to train such therapists? One other possibility that has not been considered, to my knowledge, is final-year students doing some practical work while they complete their studies.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has raised some good points. I will talk to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, about encouraging people from outside the EU to come and work in these areas. We are looking at that with regard to home care as well. Everybody knows there is a shortage in the workforce. The Minister of State has been speaking to the Minister for Health about funding to buy private capacity. That capacity was bought in for assessments of need 12 months ago and it reduced that waiting list significantly. A lot of the children were then placed on further waiting lists as a result but the assessment of need was done. Primary legislation will be required in order to access the NTPF for psychiatry and psychology services. I had a meeting about this yesterday. It is quite complicated. If someone is referred for a cataract or hip operation, it is a once-off procedure but for children with psychology, psychiatry or therapy needs who require multiple sessions, it is a lot more complicated. We are looking at it.