Children need access to disability services not saving accounts
Speaking in advance of Disability Federation of Ireland hustings, Labour spokesperson Duncan Smith slammed Fine Gael’s proposed €62m Acorn saving scheme when tens of thousands of children are on waiting lists for essential healthcare and parents must resort to paying thousands of euro for private therapies and assessments for their children.
Labour’s candidate for Dublin Fingal East, Duncan Smith said:
“On every canvas in this election, one of the dominant issues is the struggle parents face trying to access assessments, education, services and therapies for their children if they have additional needs. Ireland has never been so rich, yet we are a country of waiting lists when it comes to disability therapies, appropriate school places and social care.
“Across the country tens of thousands of children are waiting for an assessment of need, with even more waiting for access to therapies. In a cost of living crisis parents are forced to resort to spending thousands from their own pocket for essential occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy because the State is failing their children.
“Instead of trying to bribe parents with €1,000 in a savings account when their child is born why are Fine Gael not more focused on give them access to the services their child needs now?
“Investing in young children and giving them a fair start in life should be the top priority of our country, not helping the wealthiest save a bit more. This plan will embed income inequality and fails to address the real needs of children. Over 260,000 children are experiencing deprivation. €1,500 in a bank account won’t scratch the surface of their needs.
“Another 4,500 children are trapped in homelessness and need a home, so I’d ask Fine Gael what address should they put on their new bank account?
“Labour’s manifesto commits to an immediate review of funding commitments for the Disability Services Action Plan in 2025 if elected to government to ensure essential services like Children’s Disability Network Teams are fully resourced. We will reform the budget process so the full costs of staffing Children’s Disability Network teams and carrying out assessments of needs will be known every year.
“Labour will make the HSE publish monthly figures of the waiting lists for assessments of needs and therapies. This is called accountability and children and families are entitled to it.
“We will fund a Waiting List Initiative to provide AONs for the children waiting longest while capacity is built up in the public service and put in place a system to reimburse parents who have had to resort to private therapies while waiting for public appointments. The €62 million Fine Gael are committing to this SSIA type scheme would fund thousands of appointments and assessments for children.
“Labour will also guarantee an appropriate school place for every child with additional needs.
“These are the ideas that will transform the lives of children. Labour has a comprehensive plan to realise the rights of people with disabilities, meet our commitments under the UN Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and invest an extra €170m a year in disability services.”