Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I agree with him in respect of the increased resources but I would like to see these increased resources orientated specifically towards speech and language therapy for children with Down's syndrome. Perhaps there could be a greater level of increase for that specific group of our citizens for 2020. It is probably too late for 2019 at this stage. Perhaps the Government could direct the HSE to ring-fence the great majority of whatever increase in funding is provided for speech and language therapy for 2020 for children with Down's syndrome. At the end of six sessions over a year there will be an obvious improvement in the child but can the Minister of State imagine what would happen if the number of sessions were to be doubled and if the child was to have an intervention of 12 sessions? I know it is a doubling of resources but perhaps the Government could look at a specific increase in funding for speech and language therapy for 2020 as a once-off intervention for children with Down's syndrome.