Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

With regard to dealing with special needs children under the new early years strategy, a related question, No. 11, concerns the early childhood care and education. The current system is very cumbersome in terms of having to deal with local child care committees. It is bureaucratic, particularly for parents who find themselves dealing with Departments to access a right. Deputy Martin spoke about the case of Kate Crowley in his constituency and said there is something fundamentally wrong with a system that puts parents through the mill. Is there not a real need for advocacy at the centre of the system, particularly in respect of special needs children and their parents in accessing services?

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