Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2004
113 Mr. Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the availability of speech and language therapy services in the North Eastern Health Board area on a county basis; her plans to increase the number of speech and language therapists sufficiently to eliminate waiting lists; the timescale involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30579/04]
View answer114 Mr. Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the availability of speech and language therapy in the various health board areas; if she is satisfied with the level of speech and language therapy provision throughout the country, her plans to increase the number of speech and language therapists to ease waiting lists for this service countrywide; the timescale involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30580/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together.
The provision of health services, including speech and language therapy, for people with a physical and-or sensory disability is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Board and the health boards in the first instance. Accordingly, the Deputy's question has been referred to the chief executive officer of the North Eastern Health Board with a request that he examine the matter raised and reply directly to the Deputy, as a matter of urgency.
The Deputy may wish to note the 200 increase in whole time equivalent terms, 70%, in the number of speech and language therapists employed in the health services between 1997 and 2003.
The continued implementation of the pay recommendations of the public service benchmarking body as well as the report of the expert group on various health professions which included new pay scales and career structures, the availability of the fast track working visa scheme and the streamlining of procedures for the validation of overseas qualifications are designed to help sustain the improvements in staffing levels achieved for speech and language therapy services, both at local and national level.
In addition, as the Deputy may be aware, three new speech and language therapy courses commenced in the 2003-2004 academic year in UCC, NUIG and UL. In total, these courses will provide an additional 75 training places in speech and language therapy. This expansion in training numbers was identified in the Bacon report as necessary to meet the long-term demand-supply balance for speech and language therapists in Ireland.
