Taoiseach admits ‘huge gaps’ in Child Disability Network Teams in Laois ‘is not at all satisfactory’

Taoiseach Michael Martin has admitted the “huge gaps” in Child Disability Network Teams (CDNT) in Laois are “not at all satisfactory”.

The issue was raised by Laois Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley who told the Taoiseach “the system is failing, and we must address it.”

Deputy Stanley began by saying the issue of vacancies in Laois is “far worse” than the national figures which he said were “between 22% and 29%.”

Deputy Stanley outlined the scale of the problem in Laois with the following figures:

• Occupational Therapy is 67% understaffed,
• Speech and language Therapy is 54% understaffed;
• Physiotherapy is 50% understaffed;
• Therapy assistants and dietetics are 100% understaffed.

“For families with children on the autism spectrum, or with ADHD, dyspraxia or similar conditions, trying to get an assessment is a problem. But trying to get the therapies is a bigger problem,” Deputy Stanley said.

“Children are missing out at crucial periods in their development. Early intervention is key, but it is not happening.”

Deputy Stanley took aim at the Government and the Taoiseach directly, saying: “The programme for Government says on page 92 that the Government will ‘increase staffing, train more therapists and prioritise children’s disability teams.’

“I welcome that commitment, but the Taoiseach has been in government for most of the last 30 years.

“The Taoiseach was Minister for Health at one stage, and I have to bring it to his attention that right through that period, this crisis has pertained.

Deputy Stanley said both the Government and the Opposition “have a responsibility to sort this out,” saying “we have to increase the pipeline of staff coming into the services.”

In response, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “I accept fully the CDNT situation is not at all satisfactory and the absence of fully staffed multidisciplinary teams is a huge issue.”

Deputy Martin said that while “huge money” has been allocated for recruitment, parents are still not getting access to therapists

The Taoiseach blamed the assessment of need protocols, which he said is “drawing down a lot of resources,” which he said “means an awful lot more is going into the assessment and not the delivery of services.”

The Fianna Fáil leader added that the Government would bring forward legislation to deal with these delays “in order to have a more efficient and effective assessment of need and to make sure that from day one, children get the services they require.”

While Deputy Martin again admitted the CDNT workforce “is still nowhere near optimal,” he said this was due to recruitment and retention issues and that the Government would “pursue a therapy in education approach, particularly for special schools.”

Deputy Stanley reiterated that while there has been “considerable” investment in the HSE, “there is a problem” in terms of delivering services, asking: “where does the money go?”

The Laois TD said Deputy Martin must do three things:

• Expand the number of training courses in speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology and therapy assistants and dietetics;
• Recruit people for full-time positions
• Retain staffin the services.

In response, The Taoiseach said: “Funding was provided to boost training places in speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

“This will lead to a 35% increase in student places this September. New student places were launched in September in Galway in speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and podiatry.

“We have instructed the Minister for higher education to go back to the universities for the next academic year to have a substantial increase in the number of places for therapists but that must be followed and paralleled with an increase in clinical training places for them.

“We are also engaging with CORU about registering qualified people from overseas much more quickly than is currently the case.”

SEE ALSO – The week that was – our most read stories of the past seven days