‘They’re destroying children’s lives’ – Kilkenny TD hits out at physio waiting lists
A Kilkenny TD has called on the Government to fund more physiotherapists from the private sector as an emergency measure to help clear massive waiting lists for treatement.
Deputy Kathleen Funchion spoke out at new figures revealed than 1,700 disabled children across the country are waiting for more than a year for physiotherapy – with many unable to walk because they cannot get the life-changing treatment.
New Health Service Executive (HSE) figures publishd in today’s Irish Mail on Sunday reveal more than 56,000 people are currently on the waiting list for physiotherapy.
Of these, 7,926 are children, of whom 1,735 have been waiting for more than a year for treatment.
Ms Funchion described the latest physio waiting list times as ‘frightening’ and said the State is treating ‘children with additional needs as ‘second class citizens’.
The Carlow-Kilkenny TD, who is the chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, said: ‘It’s gotten to the stage where it’s frightening when you think about the number of children waiting for assessments and appointments and how it’s going to have a knock on effect for all of them later in life.
‘They’re treating children with additional needs as second class citizens. It seems to be a constant battle and that battle is getting harder and harder every single year.
‘We are totally failing children. If you are facing years of waiting, the untold damage that can do is huge. They’re destroying children’s lives with that level of a wait.’
