Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The House is in its final term and there will be a busy schedule, with a lot of legislation to be considered and debates to be held. Will the Leader arrange a debate on the HSE's programme for progressing disability services for children and young people? If not on that specific topic, perhaps the debate might be on the more broader themes of primary care facilities and disability services in general. Members are aware that €4 million for an additional 80 posts was provided under that programme in 2014 and that an allocation of €6 million was announced in 2015 for 120 new staff appointments. The rationale was to achieve a targeted reduction of waiting lists, but the reality is that this did not happen. In figures released to me in debates on Commencement matter in this House and through direct interaction with the HSE we find that waiting list numbers for appointments for children's physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy are phenomenally high. We need to make sure disability services are cognisant of demographic changes and that the funding provided has been increased to cope with additional demand.

I will highlight some waiting lists figures in County Cavan. There are 102 children who have been waiting for six months or more for physiotherapy; 177 children have been waiting for six months or more for occupational therapy, while 25 children have been waiting for six months or more for speech and language therapy. With regard to speech and language therapy waiting lists, national figures at the end of September 2015 showed that 12,587 were waiting for assessment, while 8,437 were awaiting treatment across all services. The issue is not confined to one region; it arises right across the State. I know that the Minister of State has addressed Commencement matters in this House, particularly issues affecting my county of Cavan, but it is important, in the context of the upcoming general election, from which none of us can hide, that this issue be at the front and centre and that children have access to assessments and services when needed. The children on waiting lists are in their formative years and there is no point in being given an appointment two or three years down the line if the services are needed now.