Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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167. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken by his Department to ensure that the 34,617 persons awaiting speech and language therapy, 6,500 of whom are waiting longer than a year, will receive the services required as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43859/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Health Service Executive has operational responsibility for the delivery of health and personal social services within the ambit of its Vote (Vote 39). The level of health services to be delivered within the available funding has been set out in the HSE National Service Plan, which I approved in January.

With regard to the HSE's Speech and Language Therapy Service, I understand that each individual that presents to the Service has an initial assessment to determine their individual need for therapy. The therapist, in conjunction with the parent(s) or carer, will determine the severity of the individual’s difficulties and prioritise for therapy accordingly. The level of intervention is in line with clinic policy, age and severity of the diagnosis. The waiting period for intervention is dependent on the nature and severity of the disorder following assessment.

The HSE aims to ensure that the resources available are used to best effect, in order to provide assessment and ongoing therapy to children and adults in line with their prioritised needs. Along with the significant investment in area of speech and language therapists employed in recent years, a range of new approaches have been developed and used in many Speech and Language Therapy services across the country. These include providing structures, training and support to parents /carers so that they can work to help improve the individual’s speech and language. In addition, therapy is delivered in group settings where appropriate. The HSE has stated that it is committed to working in partnership with other service providers to achieve maximum benefits for children and adults with speech and language therapy requirements, and aims to ensure that, the speech and language therapy resources available are used in the most effective manner possible.