Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending. I apologise for missing some of their presentations. I have problem in terms of bilocation often on a Thursday morning. We are fortunate in Ireland that a huge number of people give of their time voluntarily in sports organisations and so on and that is to the benefit of children. We sometimes forget that huge voluntary effort that many people in Ireland make from which we as a society greatly benefit. It is important to say that from time to time. I often think some of those people are the real patriots of this country.

In Ireland we give a very high level of child benefit and in many ways that is a beneficial payment for families. As against that, we are not so good at giving other supports such as the provision of free health care for all children. Do the witnesses consider it would better if some of that money was directed towards the provision of universal free health care for children? I acknowledge such provision is something to which we are aspiring. Do the witnesses have any comment on that?

DEIS schools is a subject on which Deputy Conway, myself and various others fought very hard a year ago because we believe they provide a very important service for the children who attend them. Can the witnesses comment on the measurement of the success of DEIS? In parts of my constitutency there are homework clubs and so on, which are beneficial for children who come from families where there is not much of a tradition of formal education. Do the witnesses have a measurement of the success of those? Can they outline the extent to which such provision is available throughout the country?