Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With regard to palliative care, the Minister referenced the map and the blackspots on it, for want of a better word. It is a much bleaker map if we look at the palliative care available for children. Paediatric end-of-life care and palliative care is sorely lacking. I was in Donegal the week before last and I met Ms Ashling Nibbs and Ms Gina Grant from Our Children's Voice. Ashling very recently lost her son Órán at the age of seven after a very tough time. He was brought home to die and only lived for a couple of hours. She struggled greatly to access services and, in the end, there was only goodwill. There were no services available. When the Minister talks about the map, he may want to look at two maps. We can obviously measure the progress that has been made in terms of adult services, but I do not think that we could say that what is available for children is anything approaching acceptable.

The only outreach palliative care available in Donegal is provided by charities. It is not provided by the HSE.

We need to look for future planning at two maps. We need to look at the real map for children. It is stressful enough to travel from Dublin up to Donegal with a sick child but it is different when one is bring that child home to die, knowing that there is no service there for you. There are a lot of parents in that situation and they watch these proceedings closely. I am sure they want to hear what is in store for this year. For Aisling's son, Órán, it is too late, but Aisling is committed to this cause and she wants to see, as a legacy to her son and others who have passed away since, that they might be able to make progress in that area.