Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Oct 2001

Vol. 543 No. 1

Written Answers. - Speech Therapy Service.

Austin Deasy

Ceist:

67 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to alleviate the shortage of speech and language therapists; if his attention has been drawn to the problem that has arisen at St. John's school for special needs, Dungarvan, County Waterford. [22959/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

In response to my concern regarding current severe labour shortages affecting the therapy professions nationwide, my Department commissioned a report from Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for certain professional therapists including speech and language therapists. The study, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of workforce requirement for qualified personnel in these areas to 2015, was published on 25 July 2001.

The report concludes that a major expansion is essential in the numbers of therapy professionals over the next 15 years, including a fourfold increase in speech and language therapists. This will require a significant increase in training places with a recommended annual increase of 75 course places for speech and language therapy. Other key recommendations of the report include: provision of sufficient clinical placements within the health service through the establishment of a national network of clinical placement co-ordinators; the need for fast-track qualification and review of the existing training system; concerted recruitment from overseas; the establishment of the planned system of statutory registration consistent with the requirement for a patient-centred health service; and career structure, workload, working practices and skills-mix issues encompassed in the context of the report of the expert group on various health professions, published in April 2000.

I am working closely with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to ensure the rapid provision of the additional places as an urgent priority. To this end an interagency working group has been established comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority. The Higher Education Authority has initiated a formal bidding process between third level educational institutions to respond to the training needs identified in the study.

I have been informed by the South-Eastern Health Board that speech and language therapy services have been temporarily suspended in St. John's school, Dungarvan, due to staff shortages in this area. Where previously the South-Eastern Health Board had two therapists in Dungarvan, it now only has one to cover all areas of service.

The principal speech and language therapist has met with representatives of St. John's school to discuss this issue and has informed them that in the interim period, a therapist based in the clinic will deal with queries from the school. In the meantime, the board is actively working to fill the vacancy, which was advertised in the national Sunday papers on Sunday, 23 September. The South-Eastern Health Board regrets that it has had to temporarily suspend this service, but has assured my Department that it will be resumed once a second speech and language therapist is recruited for the Dungarvan area.