Nolan slams 'lack of speech and language therapy support' for Offaly adults with intellectual disabilities

Independent TD Carol Nolan has described the failure of the HSE to provide any speech and language therapy support to adults in Offaly with intellectual disabilities as causing 'real harm' to vulnerable people in the county.

Deputy Nolan was speaking after the HSE confirmed in a letter to a constituent (whom she has been representing) that the Laois/Offaly Adult Intellectual Disability Service 'does not have a speech and language therapist in post', and as a result, the service 'is not currently in a position to provide speech and language therapy assessments or therapeutic input'.

“The ongoing failure of the HSE to provide any speech and language therapy support to adults with intellectual disabilities in Offaly is an unacceptable collapse of a core therapeutic service that is causing real harm to vulnerable people,” said Deputy Nolan.

She said that the correspondence also acknowledges that the HSE 'cannot offer appointments at this time', which she said exposes a deeply troubling reality in which adults with complex communication needs are being left entirely without assessment, intervention, or even a basic timeline for when services will resume.

She said the admission that the HSE will only contact service users 'once a speech and language therapist is appointed' demonstrates that no interim plan, no contingency measures, and no alternative supports have been put in place.

“I have been contacted by families who are extremely distressed at the impact of this vacancy, particularly given the central role speech and language therapy plays in supporting communication and overall quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities.

Unacceptable does not even come close to describing the fact that the post has remained vacant to the point where the entire service has effectively shut down,” said Deputy Nolan.

She added that she has written to the Minister for Health asking her to intervene directly to ensure that recruitment for the post is expedited and that temporary cover is provided immediately.

“The HSE must also clarify how many adults are currently awaiting assessment or therapy, and what steps will be taken to prevent similar service collapses,” Deputy Nolan concluded.