Just eight contracts have been issued by the HSE for new Covid-19 testing staff in the six-county community healthcare area that serves Longford.
That's according to a response from the HSE to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fail Longford Westmeath Deputy Joe Flaherty.
Deputy Flaherty says it's inconceivable that seven months into this crisis, only eight swabbers have been recruited locally when it's been so well known that we are going to be living alongside Covid and testing for the foreseeable future.
The much vaunted recruitment campaign was supposed to allow staff redeployed to testing to return to their primary roles and recommence suspended services like child psychology, early intervention and special needs assessments in places like The Phoenix Centre in Longford.
However, the HSE says the recruitment figures, reported as of the 15th of October, seem unlikely to allow the standing back up of services at this time, as Covid testing remains a priority.
Joe Flaherty says the HSE needs to start prioritising the restoration of these crucial services because seven months is a massive amount of time at a critical stage in the development of a child.
