Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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125. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth her views on the lengthy Children’s Disability Network Team waitlists arising from increased caseloads; the steps being taken to shorten these caseloads; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31957/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Progressing Disability Services (PDS) Roadmap 2023 – 2026, launched by the HSE in October 2023, focuses on the ongoing development of Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) services to meet current and growing demand.

As Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, I acknowledge the current delays for children with disabilities across the country in accessing therapies and Assessments of Need. However, work is ongoing by the HSE to maximise the capacity of CDNTs via recruitment campaigns and other measures, including sourcing assessments through private providers. While recruitment and retention of staff is a challenge across the sector overall, a significant focus of the Government is filling these vacant posts within the 93 CDNTs, who are currently providing supports for over 43,000 children.

As of the latest data from the April 2025 CDNT Workforce survey, the CDNT workforce has increased to 2,009 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE). This represents an overall growth since October 2023 of 414.5 WTE, reducing the corresponding vacancy rate from 29% to 18% during that period. This the lowest vacancy rate since October 2021.

To continue this growth and optimise recruitment into funded agencies, the HSE are facilitating direct access for funded agencies to existing HSE HSCP panels, which will shorten the recruitment process and will provide direct access to candidates.

My Department will work with the HSE to seek to introduce specific recruitment and retention incentives for therapists to work in CDNTs, along with a CDNT sponsorship programme with bursaries for fourth year and postgrad students linked to acceptance of (conditional) job offers. In addition, placements on CDNTs will continue to be expanded, alongside a continued expansion in the number of places in higher education, to develop the pipeline of future therapists.

Funding has also been made available in 2025 for Children’s Services to build on existing recruitment initiatives, with funding focusing on various positions across CDNTs (including 20 Senior Therapist posts, 20 Staff Grade posts, 20 Health and Social Care Assistant posts and 15 Clinical Trainee posts).

As Minister, alongside Government, I remain committed to delivering real and tangible solutions to enhance services to better support children with disabilities in Ireland.