Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Durkan has raised an important issue about services. Families have come to me about the fact that maternity cover is provided in other professions. This is a genuine issue. We must accept that if children with disabilities miss speech and language therapy it is not a good thing. There are preschool speech and language services now. As the Minister mentioned, there is on-site therapy in mainstream education. Last year, €2 million, I think, was provided to develop speech and language therapy in schools. However, we must tackle the issue of providing maternity cover. Deputy Durkan has made a very important point about a lack of maternity cover and I have heard the same message from families.