Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the lack of speech therapy services in general; her further views on the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Dublin with Down's syndrome has been told that it will be a year before they will get access to a speech therapist both through the Health Service Executive and privately; the steps she will take to tackle this situation in view of the importance of speech therapy to children with Downs syndrome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33022/06]

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the lack of speech therapy services in general; her further views on the fact that a child with Down's Syndrome has been told that it will be a year before they will get access to a speech therapist both through the Health Service Executive and privately; the steps she will take to tackle this situation in view of the importance of speech therapy to children with Downs Syndrome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33061/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 to 349 together.

My Department understands from the Health Service Executive that its priority in 2006 is to increase service provision in the area of multi-disciplinary supports including therapy services. In this regard €12.5 million was made available by the Health Service Executive from the 2006 investment programme to provide multi-disciplinary supports to people with intellectual disability, physical and sensory disability and/or autism.

The Deputy's specific question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.