Sinn Féin Health Spokesperson David Cullinane TD to address Tipperary meeting next week

“At Friday’s meeting I asked department officials to account for the poor rate of licence completions in 2020 despite additional staff coming on board and the fact that the number of applications for last year was exceptionally low when compared to each year since 2017.

placeholder image — “At Friday’s meeting I asked department officials to account for the poor rate of licence completions in 2020 despite additional staff coming on board and the fact that the number of applications for last year was exceptionally low when compared to each year since 2017.

Assessment of Need delays will be the subject of the meeting at the Talbot Hotel in Clonmel

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has organised a meeting for families in response to the difficulties that many parents in Co Tipperary have been experiencing in accessing a timely Assessment of Needs of their children, and other interventions for children with disabilities and special needs.

Sinn Féin Health Spokesman David Cullinane TD will be speaking at the public meeting on the Constant battle for Parents of Children with Disabilities which takes place at the Talbot Hotel Clonmel (formerly the Clonmel Park Hotel).

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Teachta Browne said:

Tipperary TD Martin Browne

“Further evidence of this became apparent through a recent High Court ruling which found that the HSE failed to comply with the Disability Act of 2005 by attempting to circumvent its obligations under the Act by replacing the Assessment of Needs process with a Standing Operating Procedure.

“As the Children’s Ombudsman said, this effectively created a second waiting list.

“The families that have been affected by this have spoken out. The issue has been raised at Oireachtas level and has been discussed at length.

“last week, the Minister of State with Responsibility for Disability told me that there are staff shortages in every one of the 91 Children’s Disability Network Teams around the country, and ultimately, the HSE has admitted to its failings.

“But the matter cannot be left there. The pressure must continue to be put on the HSE and the Department of Health to implement change, and implement it in a manner that reflects the urgency of the situation for the many children whose developmental potential is being held back because of the dysfunction of the system.

Sinn Fein Health spokesperson David Cullinane

“That is why I have asked Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Health David Cullinane to speak to affected families in Co Tipperary.

“It is only through the application of continued pressure on the Department of Health and the HSE will we be able to force the change that is needed.”

The meeting will take place at the Talbot Hotel Clonmel (formerly the Clonmel Park Hotel) at 7.30pm on Monday, April 4th.

Plans are underway to hold a meeting in North Tipperary.

For parents unable to attend, the meeting will be available through Zoom. Please contact Teachta Browne’s office for details.

All queries or confirmation of attendance can be made through: [email protected] or 062 61855.