Grandparent tells Tánaiste he will cease dialysis so his grandson can get speech therapy 

'I know what my outcome will be. But I would give anything to hear his little voice', the man wrote in an email 

Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the Government had worked "intensively" to solve the waiting lists for therapeutic services.

A grandparent wrote to Tánaiste Simon Harris offering to trade his dialysis treatment for speech and language therapy for his three-year-old grandson, the Dáil has been told.

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty raised the case in Thursday's Leaders' Questions, reading the letter which went:

“Hi Simon, I’m getting in touch regarding my only grandchild, who’s three, and is non-verbal. He’s a beautiful, happy, funny boy. 

"My heart breaks for him as he cannot talk and gets so frustrated. My daughter has him on a waiting list to be seen. I feel he’s been left behind.

“I myself am not well. I’m on dialysis three times weekly, and I’m sure a lot of problems boil down to money. I will do a trade-off. I will cease my treatment, saving the State a lot of money, if my grandson can get speech therapy.

“I know what my outcome will be. But I would give anything to hear his little voice.

“Please, Simon, treat this email seriously, as I’m 100% certain of my choices. I’m still young at 52, but at peace with my decision.”

Mr Doherty said that the letter highlights the desperation felt by families who cannot access services for children with additional needs.

“He would do anything just to hear his little voice, and he was willing to give up his own treatment, knowing that that would have an adverse impact on his own life.

“Thinking that by saving the State a few pounds, his young grandson would get treatment — but that’s the desperation that families are in under there,” the Donegal TD told the Dáil.

Mr Harris said that the Government had worked "intensively" to solve the waiting lists for therapeutic services.

“I know for the three-year-old child today, that’s not the answer, but it is the answer for building up the capacity of the system to make sure we don’t find ourselves in a situation where any grandparent is worrying,” he said.

• Paul Hosford is Deputy Political Editor.