‘Still a lack of services’ despite less children on CDNT waiting list

There has been a 22% reduction in children waiting for services from Cavan Monaghan CDNT according to an update from the HSE on disability services for children in the area.

Figures from the HSE show a total of 287 children waiting for services on September 2025, a reduction of 81 children from the same time the previous year.

However, 207 children on that list have been waiting more than one year for services, according to the update which was sought by Deputy Brendan Smith.

Father of five Paddy McAloon says that he approached the CDNT in a “crisis situation” with their son about two years ago and describes the service as “good” however “under resourced”.

With two children who have special needs, Paddy said: “to say that services are getting better would not be my case.”

Paddy is also Chairperson of the Special Needs Active Parents group in Monaghan, and said parents contact him “a couple of time a month” for advice.

“There’s still a lack of services,” he said, explaining that his 12-year-old son who is under the care of the CDNT has been waiting to see an occupational therapist for “a number of years” however he did receive a block of speech and language therapy.

“I have probably got more for my two lads because of my shouting and because of my threatening, but definitely I am hearing from people who are not being seen.

“For people that are sitting back waiting for the system to work for them, their children are in trouble,” he believes.

Speech and language therapy staff within Cavan CDNT remains “much reduced” despite “ongoing recruitment efforts.”

Staffing levels have “gradually increased” within Cavan CDNT over the year in relation to occupational therapy, physiotherapy and “more recently” psychology. Regarding the latter, all posts within the psychology department were vacant “until recently” however “intervention support by private providers in crisis cases” has been sought where necessary.

Recent recruitment has “allowed” the team to “commence a review of children on the waiting list” which is “reducing the number of children waiting for over 12 months for services.”

However, the update also states that staffing levels among all departments in Cavan have been “significantly reduced” for the past two years, with “less than fifty per cent of posts filled at times”.

In Monaghan the team there are offering “waiting list initiatives” such as a manager’s clinic, a family forum, a Making Sense of Sensory workshop, speech and language intervention and psychology intervention.

Meanwhile the area is also to receive “a number” of new development Therapy Assistant posts, as well as “approximately twelve” bursaries to be awarded to the Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo areas, meaning students in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietetics programmes in Letterkenny Atlantic Technological University will be supported through their education and in return work for the services in these areas.

Brendan Smith TD stated that the “difficulty” in recruitment within disability services is “concerning”.

“I have appealed again to the HSE to use every opportunity to try to get more personnel to our region to ensure that much needed services are provided for children in a timely manner.

“I appreciate the efforts that the HSE are making in relation to recruitment,” Deputy Smith stated. However he added that Cavan Monaghan needs “additional personnel” and furthered that “good retention of staff” is also necessary.

According to the HSE updated statement, “recruitment and retention of staff is ongoing nationally and across local areas”, with measures such as relocation packages for overseas candidates, student scholarships and supporting student placements in place to recruit and retain staff.

However, this area remains a “significant challenge” according to the update, due to “use of private services to address the unmet need as a result of staff vacancies” which is also “encouraging staff to move into the private sector.”

The update also points out that the number of health professionals graduating “does not meet the nationwide demand for clinicians.”

“Enable Ireland is continuing to actively engage in recruitment opportunities to fill the remaining vacancies on the team,” the statement reads.

“The HSE and Enable Ireland continue to work diligently to reduce the waiting times being experienced by children and families who require CDNT services.”