76. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the steps she is taking to ensure that children with disabilities receive early intervention and treatment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32482/25]
Sentiment score: 0.13
Early intervention is critical. I want to ask about CDNT vacancies. What is the number of vacancies? What is the percentage of vacant posts throughout the CDNT network? What are the long-term and short-term strategies to address recruitment issues?
Sentiment score: -0.03
How many vacancies do we have in the CDNTs? What is the number? What is the percentage? What are the strategies on this? The Minister of State alluded earlier to the strategy being recruitment in secondary schools. Am I right in saying this? Are we to believe the crisis will not be solved for a number of years? What are we doing to entice the wonderful graduates in this field who are now in Australia, Canada and the UAE? What strategy does the Minister of State have in place to bring these people home? This is the quickest way to unlock the crisis.
Sentiment score: -0.07
I have to say if I were a parent listening to this I would be incredibly frustrated. The Minister of State has, perhaps, a mid- to long-term plan but very little to alleviate the crisis today. There is a window of opportunity. These children will miss their targets. They will be significantly disadvantaged. For some it will mean the difference between being able to live independently or not. We have many wonderful professionals abroad. They are living abroad for many reasons. The Minister of State has not answered the question so I assume she has no plan to bring them home. I will give an example. I spoke to a number of psychologists who had to leave this country to get training because there were not enough assistant psychologists posts available. These people are highly educated. They completed their doctorates in places such as Britain. The HSE does not have a clear pathway to bring these people home. One psychologist has been trying to work in the HSE for more than a year and has been met with bureaucracy and red tape.
Sentiment score: -0.10
This is the type of proactive solution and policy I want the Minister of State to address. These are wonderful Irish graduates-----
Sentiment score: 0.62
-----some of whom graduated with their basic degree in Ireland. They went away for doctoral training.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The HSE is not welcoming them home. Meanwhile we have a crisis today.
Sentiment score: -0.48
Will the Minister engage with me on this?
Sentiment score: 0.34
I very much welcome the childcare supports and subsidies. It is critically important that we reduce the cost. I also want to raise with the Minister a poll by Amárach Research in 2024, which found that 69% of mothers with children under the age of 18 would prefer to stay at home if they could afford it. In addition, 76% of mothers felt that their work in the home is undervalued compared to work in society. We know that women who stay at home to look after their children provide a very valuable service to their families, the community and the economy. Many mothers have children with disabilities and it is a necessity for them to provide additional care, particularly in light of the lack of services that are available from the State. What amount of the additional funding presided over by the Minister in recent years is going into supports for mothers and families on this aspect of childcare?
Sentiment score: 0.30
What about the broader point of childcare? Are there any additional supports for those mothers?
Sentiment score: 0.18