Rose Conway-Walsh decries failures in child needs assessments
Rose Conway-Walsh criticised the government’s handling of assessments of need and special education supports, citing long waits, legal breaches and a lack of adequate services. She urged emergency funding, a firm timetable for meeting legal obligations and an immediate workforce plan including all-island recruitment and recognition of qualifications.
Assessment backlogs in Mayo
She said Not one child minister in Mayo had their assessment of needs completed within the legal time frame so far this year and that 291 children in the county are waiting for assessment of need. She described the situation as absolutely shameful and warned that waiting lists will continue to skyrocket without change.
Legal obligations and breaches
She alleged the government is failing children and families and is "breaking the law" by not meeting legal time frames for assessments. She told the minister that every child has a right to an education and that the state must make an honest commitment to the specific time frame in which it will meet its obligations.
Demands for funding and workforce action
She called for emergency funding to be made available and demanded a real and immediate workforce plan to train, recruit and retain staff. She insisted adequate funding for special needs services and the provision of appropriate school places for children with additional needs must be provided.
All-island recruitment and recognition
She urged an all-island approach to recruiting staff and recognising qualifications so that shortages can be addressed across the island. She made recruitment and retention central to any solution for the crisis in assessments and supports.
Impact on children and families
She highlighted the human cost, saying children and families are being left in limbo and denied essential therapies and education that will affect them for the rest of their lives. She contrasted the country's wealth with the daily reality of parents watching their children miss out on needed supports.
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I too want to commend the achievements won by Cara Darmody due to her dedicated campaigning for increased access to assessment of needs. And it's absolutely shameful that she is outside the gates pleading with government to do what they know that they need to do on one of the worst nights of the year. Not one child minister in Mayo had their assessment of needs completed within the legal time frame so far this year. Not one child, zero percent. 291 children in the county are waiting for assessment of need. This is absolutely shameful. Children and families are being failed dramatically, left in limbo, waiting for supports that they desperately need. The government is not only failing these children and their families, it's breaking the law. Without a change in approach, waiting lists will continue to skyrocket. Children will continue to be denied the essential education they deserve and they are entitled to. Minister, every right, every child has a right to an education. Emergency funding must be made available. Tonight government must not only not oppose this motion, they must make an honest commitment to the specific time frame in which it will meet its legal obligations. A real and immediate workforce plan must be implemented to train, recruit and retain staff. And that must be done right across the island. We need to have an all-island approach to the recruitment of staff and the recognition of qualifications. Adequate funding for special needs services, including the provision of appropriate school places for children with additional needs must be made available. Minister, the pathway to what we are talking about here tonight has been paved with broken promises. Whatever happened to us cherishing all of the children equally? It is shameful that we are in one of the richest countries in the world and parents in my constituency of Mayo and around this country look at their child and their children day after day, knowing the therapies that they desperately need that will impact them right for the rest of their lives. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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