Health

The government promised the appointment of 31 additional psychologists in 2007. Characteristically, only seven psychologists have been added to the National Education Psychology Service (NEPS). The service is aimed at children with special needs. An ASTI survey in 2006 found that 89 per cent of schools have students with special needs. Over 42 per cent of Principals stated it took an average of three months or more to secure an appointment with NEPS and 35 per cent of Principals reported a two-month delay.

At her final press briefing as Minister for Health in the last government, before the 21 May election, Mary Harney announced a u-turn on a recently introduced policy to charge 8,500 people with disabilities living in long term care between 50-70 per cent of their income for their care.

The HSE has stated that plans for a super-hospital in the North East would not be rolled out nationwide. But a new tender asking for a review of hospital services in the Mid-West region puts those assurances in doubt

According to the Irish College of Psychiatry, 83 per cent of psychiatric consultants do not have access to psychotherapists, 76 per cent have no access to a family therapist and 33 per cent have no access to an occupational therapist. By Emma Browne

The mother of a brain-damaged man who died after being moved to a nursing home against the wishes of his family speaks to Emma Browne

Surgical operations were cancelled in St. James's Hospital, Dublin yesterday due to a lack of intensive care beds. The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) has expressed deep concern about the situation and believes that surgical cancellations were inevitable as hospital activity increases for the months of January, February and March each year. 

Bertie Ahern has reneged on promises made to Protestant church leaders on the National Children's Hospital and he lobbied secretly for the Mater site in 2002. By Frank Connolly and Justine McCarthy

Mental-health services lose out as the health service sells four sites at substantially lower prices than their values as stated on an internal document.
By Emma Browne

There are 190,303 children  in Ireland who have special needs requirements, according to estimates published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). That is nearly one-fifth of all Irish children.

€2m will be spent on implementing new Act despite government assurance that no significant financial implications would be incurred. By Emma Browne