I thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity to raise this issue. I raise it because Roscommon is the only county in the Western Health Board region which does not have a language unit. I previously raised this issue with the former Minister last summer, but he failed to act.
There are language units in every county in the Midland and North Eastern Health Board regions. County Westmeath has three units, County Meath has three units and County Louth has two units. Counties Galway and Mayo in the Western Health Board region are getting additional units, but children from County Roscommon are left with no service.
Approximately 70 children of school going age in County Roscommon are known to have a specific language disorder, or dyspraxia Some pre-school children also have similar disorders. Many of these children are in mainstream schools and receive speech and language therapy in community service clinics. Most are seen approximately once per fortnight if they are lucky, that is if the health board is able to employ a speech therapist to provide such a service. Currently in the county there are a number of vacant speech therapy posts which remain unfilled due to the poor salaries and small number of therapists graduating from Trinity College. Currently, St. Michael's special school in Castlerea and St. Hilda's special school in Athlone are without speech therapists. Does the Minister believe this is acceptable? Because these children cannot shout for themselves, should their cries for help go unheard? The board has further vacancies which remain unfilled.
There is chaos within the health service nationally in relation to the lack of speech therapy services, but this is magnified in counties such as Roscommon. The Minister must immediately review the pay scales of speech therapists. For example, a speech therapist working in a language unit would most probably be on a lower pay scale than that of the teacher in the unit. Is it equitable that while teachers finish at 3 o'clock, speech therapists must continue to work in the community after that time?
There is an urgent need for the establishment of a second degree course in speech therapy. I urge the Minister, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Science, to immediately establish such a school at NUI Galway.
In the longer-term funding must be provided within the next 12 months for a proper language unit in County Roscommon. The geography of the county makes it imperative that two language units are provided, one in the southern and one in the northern part of the county. Children from Roscommon are receiving speech therapy in language units in Counties Galway, Mayo and Westmeath. Why can they not be provided with a service in their own county? The lack of resources for speech therapy is creating serious problems in Roscommon. The available therapists are required to travel unacceptable distances to various clinics and children suffer as a result. We need resources for additional speech therapists locally. We need the provision of two language units and a guarantee that a service will be provided for children in special schools and at local health centres. The provision of language centres in the county would allow children to receive therapy as part of their mainstream edu cation. Is this too much to ask in an economy which is awash with money?
Language units have been seen as successful in many parts of the country, yet Roscommon is only one of three counties with no unit. It is unacceptable that children should receive a second class service because of where they reside. I urge the Minister to immediately approve funding for two language units for County Roscommon.
