Speech and language therapists criticise omission from Dáil committee meeting

The body which represents speech and language therapists has queried why it was not asked to address an Oireachtas committee meeting today on HSE plans to change assessment of need for children.

The efforts by the HSE to bring in a new standard operating procedure for assessments of need has been hit by problems and has been deferred following criticism by S&L therapists, psychologists, and the intervention of the trade union Fórsa.

Those groups have criticised elements of the proposed procedure, including a 90-minute screening of children, and this morning’s meeting of the joint committee on health will hear from the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland, the Psychological Society of Ireland, and online parents group the DCA Warriors, while the HSE will attend a meeting with the committee on the same subject afterwards.