Ms Patsy Carr:

That is the problem that arises where a medical card is given out for a family. The level of the disregard can have knock-on consequences for a family. We do not want anyone to lose out as a result of something that is intended to improve matters for someone else. This matter needs to be investigated further, but I am confident that it is going to happen in the next couple of months.

We all agree with Deputy Durkan on his point about families waiting for services and assessments for whom this is particularly traumatic, especially those with children with special needs who are then going for acute services. I was only made aware recently that there are disability liaison nurses in the major acute hospitals, so those processes for a child with a disability requiring acute services can be streamlined. That is a positive.

No one disputes the huge burden families face. This year, as part of the Estimates for 2018, the Government allowed an extra €10 million to provide extra respite services. It is a drop in the ocean, but it helps provide an extra respite house in each community healthcare organisation, CHO, area. This is having a positive impact throughout the country, and we would hope to build on that next year.