Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

119. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her proposals to address waiting lists to access CDNT services in County Monaghan. [32458/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am advised by the Health Service Executive that the most recent data for Monaghan Children’s Disability Network Team recorded 61 children on the waiting list at the end of May.

I recognise the progress made by Monaghan CDNT staff to tackle the waitlist. During April, 508 children and/or their parents were offered an initial contact, an individual or group intervention appointment. April figures indicate that 546 children were on the open caseload for Monaghan CDNT.

I also recognise that intensive work must continue to tackle vacancies and to ensure that there is sufficient staffing on the CDNT. My Department is working with the HSE to introduce specific recruitment and retention incentives for therapists to work in CDNTs, including the CDNT Sponsorship Initiative aimed at final year undergraduate and postgraduate Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Social Work students in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland relevant courses, due to graduate in 2025 and by facilitating direct access for funded agencies to existing HSE Health and Social Care Professional panels.

Recruitment measures will seek to optimise delivery of services by increasing staffing. The local Cavan Monaghan HR Office has rolling campaigns in place to fill vacant positions. Funding has been provided in Budget 2025 for CDNTs across Community Services Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo or "CS CDLMS" to receive a number of new development therapy assistant posts in 2025. I understand that final figures will be confirmed following negotiations between the HSE and my Department.

A bursary scheme was established by CS CDLMS in 2023. Students in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Dietetics Level 7 programmes in Letterkenny Atlantic Technological University are supported financially to complete their professional degree programme in a UK based college and then work for services in CS CDLMS in return.

Of the twenty-three bursaries awarded to date, it is planned that at least twelve of the recipients will be assigned to posts in Disability Services, including CDNTs, within CS CDLMS.

There are several waitlist supports and initiatives in place in Monaghan CDNT for children and families waiting to access services. This includes the ‘Making Sense of Sensory’ Workshop and a follow up one to one session with the parent and child, procurement of private Psychology interventions from Wynand Gerber and procurement of private Speech and Language interventions from CommuniKids.

These measures are taking place alongside over 60 actions outlined in the Roadmap for Service Improvement for Disability Services for Children and Young People, which are providing systemic reforms to improve the system as a whole.