A local senator has raised concerns about obtaining an ankle-foot orthosis, AFO, brace for a child with cerebral palsy in Cavan.
Senator Pauline Tully raised the issue in the Seanad yesterday.
She explained that was contacted by the mother of a four-year-old child who has cerebral palsy.
The child grew out of the its braces, and the CDNT was contacted.
Senator Tully said there is a two-month delay in getting a purchase order.
In the meantime, the child has outgrown the brace, and cannot wear it.
Speaking in the Seanad, she outlined what impact this will have.
She said: "The mother is really worried. She has seen the regression in the child. She said that her daughter may now need to go for serial casting, although hopefully she will not. That would mean that she would have to go to Cappagh, get a cast on her leg, and go back the following week to get the cast off and see how much the leg has moved back into the correct position, and get another cast put on.
"It is a procedure that would have been totally avoidable had the brace been ordered on time and given to the little girl to allow her to walk.
"Now you might say that maybe this is just a once-off, but it is not because the mother had to wait three months last year for the same thing. This is the second time it has happened so it is likely happening to other children as well," Senator Tully added.
