Seanad debates

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Micheál CarrigyMicheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise a few issues. The first concerns the HSE, and specifically the children's disability network teams. There is a crisis across our disability network teams. I will cite an example from my own county, which has a population of 45,000.In terms of posts filled, there is one psychologist, 0.5 in speech and language therapy, 0.5 in occupational therapy, 0.8 in physiotherapy and no social worker for the past two years. There are more than 230 children waiting for an assessment of needs and more than 700 children waiting for services. Somebody needs to explain why these positions are not being filled and why adequate staffing levels are not in place. The number of staff required and the need is well known. A manager of a company presiding over such a situation would have been sacked long ago. Somebody needs to be held accountable for this and it needs to change. Children are suffering and it is not acceptable in 2022.

We need a discussion on the disability network teams because this situation is replicated throughout the country. We must deal with this. The HSE should be working with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to make sure we have sufficient numbers of people qualifying across the various disciplines to fill the vacant posts in the system. That is not happening and it is just not acceptable.

The second issue I want to raise is the N4, which I also raised last year when the project was taken off the plans for 2022. I call on the Department of Transport to continue to fund that project until it gets to the point where planning permission is in place. The emerging preferred route is due to be announced in quarter four of this year and I want assurance that funding is in place to continue that process into 2023. We need to define the route, apply for planning permission and reach the point where planning permission is in place. Then if there is a hold up in the system with regard to funding because of a lot of other larger capital projects, at least we will have the planning permission in place and will know the route. We do not want to see a situation where the project is held up prior to securing planning permission and all of the millions already spent on it goes to waste because the project has to go back to day one again. I call on the Department to prioritise this road which is essential for the north west, the only region not served by a dual carriageway or motorway. We want to bring prosperity to all regions so this must be a priority for the Minister for Transport. Funding must be put in place for 2023.

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