20-05-2025
Number of children awaiting speech, language therapy rises almost 200%
The number of children waiting over one year for initial speech and language therapy has risen by almost 200% in the last three years.
Figures compiled by the Labour party also show a 170% increase in those waiting over a year for psychology support in the same period.
Labour undertook comparative analysis based on data released through a Parliamentary Question to its Spokesperson on Health Marie Sherlock and on HSE workforce reporting.
It shows that the increase in the number of staff providing therapeutic support has been a fraction of the almost two-fold jump in demand for therapies and services.
Deputy Sherlock has described the figures as stark and "reflective of a broken system that is desperately failing children".
Considering the need for timely intervention, Ms Sherlock has called on the Government and the HSE to "seriously rethink" the Progressing Disability Services Programme and the Roadmap for Service Improvement 2023-2026.
The Labour Deputy said a fundamental change was required about "how and where services are provided".
The Labour health spokesperson said new types of support roles needed to be developed in psychology, speech and language, and occupational therapy specialties to support staff, therapists, and services to provide adequate and timely services.
While the "race" to recruit more therapists and ensure their timely registration must continue according to the Labour TD, she said it was "highly unlikely" that Children Disability Network Teams (CDNT) would fill the 529.77 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) funded posts left unfilled from 2024.
Opposition Parties will table a Private Members Motion during Sinn Fein's Private Members time tonight, calling for emergency action on Assessment of Need waiting lists.
An Assessment of Need (AON) identifies whether a person has a disability, any health and education needs arising from that disability, as well as what services are required to meet those needs.
Progress was being made in reducing the waiting list from 6,058 in the third quarter of 2020, down to 1,718 in the first quarter of 2022.
However, in March 2022, the High Court found that the HSE's preliminary assessment approach did not meet the requirements of the Disability Act.
The judgement, according to the HSE, resulted in a growth in overdue assessments of need and it acknowledged at the time, that outsourcing private assessments was "challenging"
A year ago, the previous Government announced funding of almost €7 million in an initiative to tackle the Assessment of Need waiting list, on top of core funding of €5 m for the procurement of private assessments.
The additional funding was to enable the HSE to procure up to 2,500 additional Assessments of need over up to November last year.
Assessments of need must be completed within six months of the date that an application is received. However, just 7% of assessments were carried out within the required period.
In a statement last week, the Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald said children were scandalously left waiting for services and support.
She said it was not good enough that 15,296 children were overdue their assessment of need.
It is a rise from almost 8,900 children who were classified as overdue for an assessment by the end of 2023.
Tonight's Private Members Motion coincides with 1
The Social Democrats have described the current situation as "outrageous".
It said the Disability Act is being "flouted as if it were an optional extra – instead of the law of the land".
