Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

72. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on the current unfilled positions in CDNTs across the State; to outline her plans to deliver on assessments and therapies for children with autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32285/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Will the Minister of State provide an update on the current unfilled positions within CDNTs across the State and outline the plans to deliver on assessments and therapies for children with autism? We are all shocked with the assessment of need situation. Some 15,000 children at this point are being failed when it comes to the delivery of those assessments. Basically, the Government is in breach of the law. This figure could rise to 25,000. I will repeat what Cara and Mark Darmody said. Not only are they utterly dissatisfied with these figures, but they also do not believe the Government has explored the capacity in the private sector in this regard.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for his question. This Government is committed to enhancing the delivery of supports and services for all children in Ireland with additional needs, including autistic children. It is important to emphasise that an autism assessment or an assessment of need is not required for a child to access primary care, CDNTs or CAMHS. The Government accepts that waiting lists for assessments of need are too long. We are working to ensure that all children's disability network teams are fully staffed with the appropriate expertise and that the waiting list is reduced.

I am advised by the Health Service Executive that the most recent CDNT data available show that there are 2,009 posts filled in CDNTs across the country and 445.4 posts vacant. A workforce survey conducted in April this year shows that staffing levels in CDNTs across the country rose by 8% when compared with a previous review in October last year. By way of comparison, some 29% of posts in CDNTs were unfilled in October 2023. In April this year, the percentage of unfilled posts fell to 18%. This represents an overall growth in the workforce of 414.5 whole time equivalents in CDNTs between October 2023 and April 2025.

These posts have been delivered through the concerted efforts of the HSE, my Department and other partners, including the Department of higher education. I recognise the work done to address this issue but I also know the CDNT vacancy rate remains too high and intensive work will continue in this year to bolster CDNT services through ensuring sufficient team members are available across the country.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There are 414.5 whole-time equivalents. I thank the Minister of State. As she said, while this is a welcome increase,l a huge number of posts still need to be filled. I fear we are still talking about another four or five years, based on that growth, to deal with the number of unfilled positions. As I have asked this before, does the Minister of State believe that if all these positions, given how long will that take, will we have a fit-for-purpose service? There are issues in the delivery of the assessment of need. While I have no issue with having conversations with stakeholders, particularly SLTs, OTs and whoever else about the best way to deliver both assessments and therapies, I am very afraid of a move that is just about changing the law so the Government is not in breach of the law on assessments of need.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A number of things are happening here. There is an increased demand for assessments of need. We are all very aware of the reasons for that. For many, it is about getting access to services as well as wanting to know about a disability and getting a diagnosis. All these form part of the demands on the system. The Deputy will know we are doing work through a Cabinet committee on disability. We have been meeting very frequently to examine the assessment of need process. We are rolling out regional assessment hubs across all the regional health areas across the country to get through these waiting lists but this not just about reducing waiting lists. This is about ensuring that children and adults are getting access to the therapies they require. That is very much at the forefront of my mind. If that requires legislative change, that is something we will look at but we are also doing domestic and international recruitment, incentives for retention, recruitment drives within the CDNTs and going into secondary schools and promoting the value of working within CDNTs and in these positions across the country.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Recruitment and workforce planning are absolutely necessary. We all know the plan needs to be about delivering therapies to those who require them. There are still issues regarding schools and others where, no matter what answer I get from the Government benches, parents are still being told they require an assessment of need.

What is the plan in relation to the assessment of need? I get where the general plan is but can I have a timeline for when the Minister of State believes all these positions will be filled? I fear that pay and numbers might have contributed to the suppressed positions. Does she believe that if all these positions were filled, and I accept she may be looking at changes to assessments and therapies, the service could then be provided to the children and families who are being failed now?

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

To answer the last question first, ensuring that children have access to the therapies they need is absolutely my priority and our priority as a Government. It is for that reason that my colleague the Minister, Deputy McEntee is continuing the work that myself and the Minister, Deputy Foley did when we were in the Department of Education on special education with in-school speech and language therapists and occupational therapists going in to our special schools. That will also alleviate the demand for these therapies across the country. We are also looking at increasing the clinical placements in CDNTs and developing that pipeline of initiatives to ensure we retain and attract more therapists.

In our third level institutions 150 extra speech and language and occupational therapist places were provided from last September. We want to increase that number every year. The Minister for higher education, Deputy Lawless, is working very hard on that. This is a real concerted effort by the Government to ensure that children and adults have access to the therapies they need.

I cannot give the Deputy a definitive timeline but I assure him we are working really hard to try to ensure children get access to these therapies.