The Government has been urged to address "shocking" gaps in child disability network teams, after it emerged one county has no therapy assistants, behavioural therapists and less than half the speech and language therapists needed.
Independent TD Brian Stanley raised the concerns during the latest Dáil leaders questions debate, saying families "are absolutely at their wits end" on the issue.
Raising concerns in his own constituency, the Laois TD said no public child behavioural therapist, therapy assistant or dietetics roles are filled in the area.
Mr Stanley said in the same constituency less than half of the necessary child speech and language therapist roles are filled and just one third of the occupational therapy roles, adding that nationally around a quarter of child disability network team positions are vacant.
He told the Dáil this is taking place "at a crucial stage of development" for many children who "require early interventions".
Saying it is "putting enormous pressure on families", he said the situation means households are having to borrow thousands of euro from "families, sometimes friends, sometimes money lenders" to pay for private help.
Responding to the concerns, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said he wanted to begin by "acknowledging the huge anxiety" the situation is causing families, and that while Government is committed to addressing the issue "it's going to take time".
Minister Donohoe said among the steps the coalition is taking is the decision by Taoiseach Micheál Martin to chair a Government group to examine the area, and to improve recruitment efforts for therapists.
Minister Donohoe said the aim of these measures is "to make sure this support is provided when most needed" for families and households.
However, he added that "while I can make the case to you that the vacancy rate has decreased, how much money we're spending, how my colleagues are doing all they can", he wanted to be clear that "we have so much more to go".
"We need to continue with this, and we will," Mr Donohoe told the Dáil.
