The Government is today being urged to reduce the waiting lists for services for special needs children to a maximum of three months.

People Before Profit said it is unacceptable that some children are waiting up to three years for services.

The party has called on the Government to hire more speech & language therapists to help alleviate waiting times.

Francis Brady, mother of a special needs child, said that the wait for access to HSE services is too long.

“In my case, when I did notice that my daughter most likely did have special needs, when I contacted the HSE they said they would see me in a year, at the minimum,” she said.

“I felt I couldn’t let her wait that long so I had to access services in the private sector, so I had to get her diagnosed and get her occupational therapy in the private sector.

“But that is not an option for many people.”