Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming today and for all the work they do as parents and practitioners. For me, one of the most difficult experiences of being a Deputy is meeting the parents of children who have special needs and who are waiting for assessment or access to special education supports, wheelchairs, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and counselling. I cannot begin to imagine how frustrating it must be for all of the witnesses as parents and practitioners. I thank them for everything they are doing on a daily basis for our children.

I have a number of questions, which can be answered by any of the witnesses. There are parents watching this, as are other legislators. Will the witnesses walk us through the steps? At some point, the parent or parents of a child may begin to think that child might have special educational needs and they would like to get the child assessed. Will the witnesses walk us through the process from the moment that parents think they want someone to take look at their child to the child actually getting the intervention? Do they go to the community nurse or the GP? How do they end up on the list for an assessment? Who does the assessment? Once the assessment is obtained who else is involved? I know special education needs organisers are involved, as are psychologists and occupational therapists, and I know it is different for every child, depending on his or her need, but for those watching will the witnesses walk us through the process and, if they would, the typical delays, because we know there is a delay to assessment and we know equally there is a delay from assessment to treatment? Will the witnesses walk us through this?

Where does it work? We know some parts of the country are better than others. I hope the witnesses will be able to tell us where, if anywhere, we are doing well and, even if it never works perfectly, where does it work the best in Ireland? Are there areas that have begun to get their heads around this and are making good improvements?

I read the opening statements previously and I have listened this morning. It is clear nobody is happy with the 90 minutes, from a parental perspective and from a clinical and professional perspective. Let us assume the HSE also cares about the nation's children, and I believe it does. Why do the witnesses think the HSE recommends the 90 minutes? Were they consulted, as practitioners and parents' representatives, in the formulation of the standard operating procedures?

What are the opinions of the witnesses on the quality of support when children get it? This morning, obviously, we are speaking about the process for assessment and access. We are all very aware of the delays in assessment and delays to access. I would like a quick view as to whether, once the child actually gets the intervention he or she has been assessed as needing, sufficient resources are available. It is a bit like the way people in Ireland state frequently that it can be very difficult to get into the HSE but once one gets in, the quality of treatment is usually pretty good. In the opinion of the witnesses, is the quality of treatment good? I do not mean whether the individual practitioners are any good. I mean whether, once people finally get access, support for the child is comprehensive and sufficient.