Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the Children’s Disability Network Team in Limerick will address the shortage of occupational therapists in the region, appreciating ongoing long-term leave since March 2024 that has curtailed the ability to provide this support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31956/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Both the Government and the HSE are acutely aware of the ongoing challenges in the recruitment and retention of therapists across the 93 Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), including those in Limerick.

Nationally, the CDNTs continue to support over 43,000 but I do recognise the need for more therapists in CDNTs and the impact these delays have on children and young people.

My Department is working closely with the HSE to address these issues both at national and local level in order to help deliver the necessary services to children and their families in a timely manner in line with the Roadmap for Service Improvement 2023-2026.

I am pleased to note that, according to the 2025 CDNT Workforce survey, the CDNT workforce has grown to 2,009 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE). This represents an overall growth since October 2023 of 414 WTE, reducing the corresponding vacancy rate from 29% to 18% during that period. This is the lowest vacancy rate since October 2021.

We have also committed to record investment in Disability services and, in particular, an investment into CDNTs resulting a €2.84m in New Development Measure funding to provide for additional Whole-Time Equivalents (WTEs) in CDNTs.

With regard to the specific vacancy issue mentioned by the Deputy, I have been advised by the HSE that Enable Ireland are committed to continue progressing recruitment campaigns in order to secure an occupational therapist.

HSE advise that the relevant CDNT is providing continuous supports to families through specific workshops that focus on sensory differences.

The Programme for Government commits to doubling the number of college places for speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, psychologists and social workers and developing new pathways into these professions. Earlier this month, the Government approved an expansion in training places in nine key Health and Social Care Profession areas from September 2025, including occupational therapy.