LETTER: Wrong so many have to wait for speech therapy

SIR – As a stammerer from Ireland, I was a bit hurt to read your article ‘Over 36,000 are on a waiting list for speech therapy’ (February 23^rd). I have read articles in the last couple of years about so many children on waiting lists for speech therapy in Ireland. It is hurtful.

Growing up in Cork as a stammerer, I know first-hand that Ireland lagged behind in speech therapy.

I know that services for stammerers are light years ahead of the scene in the 1970s. I wish to recommend the website of the US-based charity The Stuttering Foundation (www.stammeringhelp.org) which provides diverse free resources such as books for downloads as well as many streaming videos.

 In addition the site has biographical articles on famous stammerers in the Irish diaspora, such as Mancunian Irishman Noel Gallagher, Irish-American author Dominick Dunne and Irish-Cuban writer Calvert Casey.

Stammering is the most common child speech problem so I thought parents would be interested in knowing about this website. I applaud FF Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony for her efforts to right this wrong and facilitate access to speech therapy.

Sincerely,

Colm Ruane,

Bronx,

New York.