Deputy Charlie McConalogue has called on the Minister for Health and HSE to immediately appoint an Autism Therapist for Inishowen, describing the delay in making such an appointment an absolute disgrace.
Deputy McConalogue had been informed during the summer that recruitment for the vacant post was ‘under way,’ but to date, no appointment has been made.
He commented, “This is a vital service and one that impacts hugely on many young people and their families in Inishowen. It is absolutely disgraceful that it is now 17 months since the previous therapist left their job and yet the post still hasn’t been filled.
“When I raised the matter in the Dáil in June, I was informed that the vacant Autism Therapist post in Disability Services had been approved and the recruitment process was under way.
“Four months has passed since I last raised the matter and I was told the recruitment process was under way and still no appointment has been made. That’s four more months that families have had to do without this holistic person-centred vital service and 17 months in total that they’ve had to do without.
“The people who are impacted by this are the children on the autism spectrum and their families and they have waited long enough. After waiting for 17 months there can be no more delays and I will be asking the Minister and the HSE to get a new Autism Therapist appointed immediately so this vital service can be restored,” Deputy McConalogue concluded.
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