11 October 2024
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie

Health

Labour’s Cork South West candidate, Evie Nevin (who previously ran for the Social Democrats and is known as Evie Uí Cnáimhín on Twitter), has called for urgent action on the long waiting times facing children in West Cork. The latest figures reveal that 430 children are waiting for psychology treatment, 236 for first-time occupational therapy assessments, and 343 for speech and language therapy. Nevin also questioned the absence of any children on the audiology waiting list, raising concerns about service availability in the region.

“The fact that there are zero children waiting for audiology services in West Cork is worrying. Does this indicate that children aren’t being referred, or that services aren’t available in the first place? This needs to be clarified,” Nevin said.

Nevin linked these local issues to the government’s mishandling of the National Children’s Hospital project, where overspending has reached billions beyond initial estimates. “The mismanagement of the hospital’s funding is a stark contrast to the lack of investment in local services, where children in West Cork are facing long delays for essential care,” she added.

Nevin stressed that the figures may not fully reflect the number of children needing services, as some families struggle to access the referral system. “Many children might not even be making it onto these waiting lists due to inadequate signposting and a lack of support in getting referrals,” she said.

She concluded by calling on the government to prioritise investment in local healthcare services, address staffing shortages, and ensure that no child in West Cork is left waiting for critical treatments. “West Cork families deserve better. Our children’s health should not depend on a postcode lottery,” Nevin urged.