Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I touch on that issue of things the HSE funds but does not necessarily provide itself. It funds these services to ensure they are part of the health service. Mr. O'Brien mentioned the Supplementary Estimate in 2015 for disability services. Last week in my constituency of Meath the issue of adult disability services was a very prominent matter. It was covered extensively by the local media. The issues were location and transport funded by the HSE. The transport aspect was the toughest for the parents of the young adults involved. In some cases, young adults were on a bus for over an hour and three quarters during a journey which should only take 15 minutes. That was because of the route being taken. That was provided by a particular service provider who the HSE was funding. In the context of internal reviews of what the HSE is getting for its money, it is clearly unacceptable that young adults with intellectual disabilities are spending that long on a bus. They would be in Wexford more quickly than they were getting home. These are particularly vulnerable people.