Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020
516. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on the closure of a facility (details supplied) in County Cork which offered services to children with special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4215/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Health and Social Care Professionals Council (CORU) was established by the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 to protect the public by ensuring that members of the professions regulated under the Act are suitably qualified, commit to continuing professional development and are subject to robust fitness to practise. The professions of occupational therapist and speech and language therapist are amongst the professions CORU regulates. It is a criminal offence for a person who is not registered with CORU to use a professional title protected under the Act.
Having received complaints from members of the public, CORU conducted an investigation of the directors of a facility (details supplied). This facility was not a HSE centre but was a centre offering certain health services in a private capacity.
Following its investigations, CORU was satisfied that certain persons working in the facility were not registered with CORU but were using protected titles. CORU sought a High Court injunction requiring the individuals in question to cease and desist from using the titles while unregistered with CORU. The Directors provided undertakings to the High Court, including that they would cease and desist from using the titles in contravention of the Act and would inform all previous and existing clients that at no time while providing services in the State were they entitled to use the titles. CORU has also instituted criminal proceedings against the individuals involved; these proceedings are due to take place in Cork District Court later this year.
Since 2016, there has been a sizeable investment in the reform and improvement of children’s disability services in Ireland. As part of Transforming Lives, the HSE is currently implementing the “Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme (2009)”. This programme requires a reconfiguration of all current HSE and HSE funded children’s disability services into geographically-based children’s disability network teams. The overall aim is to achieve a national equitable approach to service provision for all children based on their individual need - regardless of their disability, where they live or where they go to school. Services will be provided through the children’s disability networks across each of nine Community Healthcare Organisations, comprising of specialist multi-disciplinary teams to work with complex disability needs.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
