Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Nov 1996

Vol. 472 No. 1

Written Answers. - Rowlagh (Dublin) Health Centre.

Liam Lawlor

Ceist:

147 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the action, if any, he will take to improve the speech therapy service at Rowlagh Health Centre, Dublin 22, due to the backlog of patients seeking therapy from the currently heavily overworked speech therapist; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that young children with serious speech problems will not be seen until well into 1997, by which stage their problems will be more difficult to treat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22570/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The provision of speech and language therapy service at Rowlagh Health Centre is a matter for the Eastern Health Board.

A full-time speech and language therapist has recently been assigned to Rowlagh Health Centre following the filling of a long-standing vacancy. There are currently 180 children on a waiting list for treatment and these are being screened in order to determine priority for treatment. A further 50 new cases are receiving therapy, while 50 existing cases are being reviewed. Alternative approaches to dealing with speech therapy requirements in the area are being examined through consultation between local health board management, local nurseries and the Clondalkin Partnership with a view to addressing the needs of children on the waiting list.