MINISTER for People with Disabilities Anne Rabbitte was in Letterkenny on Thursday to reveal plans to expedite recruitment to Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) services in Donegal.
It comes after concerns were raised last month that 87 per cent of parents with children with special needs in Donegal stated that CDNT service provision was “not adequate”.
At the beginning of September, the overall national vacancy rate of CDNTs was at 34 per cent. In Donegal, the vacancy rate was higher, at over 40 per cent.
Recruitment issues were cited as a “critical factor”, and in October the HSE launched a major recruitment drive to fill a number of positions within the Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT).
Minister Rabbitte said “panels are being formed” which would mean that people wishing to work in Donegal can express an interest in doing so.
She is also working with Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris TD to have the process of overseas qualifications being fast tracked.
While in the county, Minister Rabbitte also visited staff and service users of Ard Gréine in Stranorlar.
Plans were announced in April of this year to ‘decongregate’ the facility, where those residents with disabilities would instead move to live in their local communities.
This process is expected to take a couple of years, the HSE has said.
During her visit, Minister Rabbitte also confirmed funding for No Barriers Foundation in Letterkenny.
It is one of two Donegal groups working with people with disabilities which received a share of €3 million announced last week to help 20 initiatives countrywide.
The second group which received funding is Donegal Centre for Independent Living, Access Officer and Leader Mentor Programme.
The funding is awarded under the Rethink Programme.
After launching the No Barriers ‘Down Syndrome Champions’ programme, Minister Rabbitte visited a community inclusion hub in Letterkenny before meeting a number of parents and representative groups to discuss the impact recruitment issues are on CDNTs.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)