Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of speech therapists available in County Wicklow; the reason children in a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow have been refused access for an assessment by a speech therapist; her views on whether refusing assessments to children in Greystones and elsewhere between the ages of six to eighteen is detrimental to the development of children in need of speech therapy; the action she will take to rectify this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22003/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the Multi-Annual Investment Programme 2006-2009 under the Disability Strategy, the Government provided the Health Service Executive with an additional €75m in both 2006 and 2007. This funding included monies to provide new and enhanced services for people with disabilities, to implement Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005, which came into effect on June 1st 2007 for the under 5's and also for the continuation of the implementation of the transfer of persons with intellectual disability from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements. A further €50m investment was announced in the 2008 Budget.

The Deputy's question refers to services which fall within the remit of the Health Service Executive. 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.