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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 14 May 1991

Vol. 408 No. 4

Written Answers. - Speech Therapy Services.

Liam Fitzgerald

Ceist:

174 Mr. L. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that no speech therapy services are available to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin who is in urgent need of this treatment; if there is any action his Department can take to provide this essential service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

All health agencies have experienced great difficulty in recruiting speech therapists over the last number of years. My Department are currently examining these difficulties and the number of training places is being examined with the educational authorities.

However, the Eastern Health Board have recently recruited nine new speech therapists and a senior therapist for adult mental handicap commenced duty on 1 May 1991. St. Michael's House have recently advertised for speech therapists and will hold interviews on 10 June 1991.

I have had inquiries made of the Eastern Health Board in relation to the case referred to by the Deputy. The speech therapy services to the school have improved over the last number of weeks and a speech therapist is now attending five hours per week. While it is not possible to give an exact commencement date for speech therapy for this child, he remains on the waiting list and will be accommodated as soon as possible.

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