Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has highlighted the urgent need to improve services for persons with a disability across the Northern Sound region.
According to Deputy Smith, he is "particularly concerned" about the unacceptable delays in children getting appropriate follow up treatment following Assessment of Need.
He says that at one stage, there were huge delays in obtaining an Assessment of Need but that particular waiting time has been reduced over the past two years.
However, there are now long delays in children obtaining therapies such as Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Physiotherapy.
As a result, the local TD believes recruitment and retention of such clinicians is "essential" to ensure that adequate services are provided for children with a disability.
Speaking to Northern Sound, Deputy Smith said, "Funding has been put in place to recruit additional much needed staff but there are particular difficulties in getting clinicians to take up these posts in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan.
"I believe that we need a robust international recruitment campaign for Therapists and there must be a shorter process in validating qualifications for persons who trained abroad.
"In the longer term we need to train more people in our own Colleges and these professional positions must become attractive to retain qualified personnel.
"Recruitment and retention of such clinicians is essential to ensure that adequate services are provided for children with a disability."
