Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that it is entirely unacceptable that Children’s Disability Network Teams would be left with staff vacancy rates as high as 68% in the CHO7 area, saying that the team based in Chamber House, upon which thousands of families in the Tallaght area rely, has a 53% vacancy rate.

Teachta Crowe said:

“Recent figures from the HSE show that at the start of April the Children’s Disability Network Team based in Chamber House has a 53% vacancy rate in the posts that it needs to run effectively.

“There are 15 posts that need to be filled and until that happens, the backlog for services in therapies such as Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy are just going to grow and grow. Vulnerable children and their parents are being left behind without supports.

“The HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy is just the recruitment embargo by another name. the Government must make all the necessary resources available to fill the vacant posts in the health service and allow healthcare professionals to do their job without having to worry about the two or three or more vacant positions that they have to stretch to cover as well.

“Vulnerable children and their parents are paying an intolerable price while the government plays around and delays filling these vital posts.”