Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for giving her time and engaging with the committee. The report from the ombudsman was a real indictment of the State's failure of children with special needs, their families, carers and supporters.

I really welcome the Minister of State's appointment. As a spokesperson for the Opposition she demonstrated passion and energy and she has brought that to her office. I am greatly encouraged.

I will not go over everything that has been discussed because it has been well articulated. The Minister of State knows these challenges. I can make a couple of suggestions for the committee.

I absolutely agree with the Minister of State that the HSE has to come into the committee, which is scheduled, and that we, as a committee, engage very energetically. We need to challenge it on behalf of all the children and families and we will do that. The Minister of State could help the committee if it could be provided with a monthly report to give members a breakdown of how the assessment of needs is progressing. That would be useful for this committee to have. The Minister of State clearly has the information and the data are available. The committee should be looking at that once a month so that the issue is on our minds not just at a committee meeting such as this.

I am very mindful that it is distressing for parents. They demonstrate love, energy and care for their children but it is very distressing for them to have to battle for an assessment of needs to start with, and then the therapies and supports. Does the Minister of State have a report, similar to the one available on the assessment of needs, on waiting lists for therapies and supports? Again, perhaps this could be provided to the committee monthly. It is important that this committee would track that and engage with the HSE on it. It would also create for the committee the transparency on how children and families are being responded to in every area. It may give us an opportunity to assess whether there is a uniformity to the quality and timeliness of the response, and to the appropriateness of the supports provided to the children and their families.

With regard to the ongoing support and care, I am very aware that when parents and their children have overcome the initial challenge of getting their assessment of needs, the young child - hopefully but not always - will get the required supports, therapies and interventions. As that child becomes an older child, a teenager and then a young adult - this is my experience from dealing with families - every time there is a developmental change there can be a kind of disconnect in the ongoing and projected assessment of needs, and especially into adulthood. In the Minister of State's short time in office has she had a chance to examine that, or is it something she could take on and examine into the future?

I would also appreciate the Minister of State using her office to raise the issue of the appropriateness of the housing needs assessment that takes place with local authorities in the State for families who have a family member with special needs. The local authorities generally do not take intellectual needs into account. Very often a key requirement to cope with intellectual challenges can be having an appropriate built environment within which to live. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could also look at that. I thank her for her time.