Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Healy for his response. He might not have got around to reading the detailed e-mail I sent him last week setting out the problems at this particular school and elsewhere in mid-Kerry. The previous Minister, Deputy James Reilly, met with parents and HSE officials in May and was well aware of the problems. Students at St. Francis special school have had an appalling experience. My concern is to ensure the HSE is fully aware of the terrible impact on the children in question and to seek assurance that the same thing will not happen elsewhere. While I appreciate the need for reform and to do more with less, we cannot have that amount of damage being inflicted on the children who depend on these services. While the objective is to move to a better system in the long term, this type of thing cannot be allowed to happen in the transition period. I ask that the HSE be vigilant in identifying these types of problems and, where they arise, to rectify them as quickly as possible.