Vol. 405 No. 7
79 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the case of an 11-year-old child (details supplied) in Dublin 13, who is on the waiting list for placement in a language school and who has not received speech therapy services for a considerable time; and if he will take steps to ensure that he is placed in an appropriate school and has access to a speech therapist.
I understand from the Eastern Health Board that there has been an interruption in the speech therapy service since the beginning of February to the child in question due to the absence on maternity leave of the speech therapist. Health boards are experiencing difficulties in recruiting speech therapists generally. However, this service will be resumed when the speech therapist resumes duty. I understand also that the child is currently being considered for placement in a language group at the Mater Hospital.
