Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for outlining her heartfelt and genuine concerns regarding delays in children with special needs accessing much-needed therapy supports in a timely fashion. It is a concern shared by all Members. It is imperative we work together to tackle the recruitment challenge and, in that regard, the HSE has continued to make every effort to support the recruitment of essential staff to expand the capacity of CDNTs. It is imperative teams are staffed to their maximum capacity if we are to provide the best possible service for all children with complex needs, regardless of the county in which they live, or as the Senator mentioned, what part of a county they live in.

It is understood that delays in accessing health services of any kind can have a devastating effect, and this is all the more so when it involves a child who cannot access services. I assure the House that the Government and the HSE remains fully committed to the delivery of high-quality child and family-centred services for children with disabilities. We will work with families and staff to develop services to meet those needs.