Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses are very welcome to the meeting this morning. It has been very educational. I met with Headway and the Neurological Association of Ireland previously and they highlighted many of the issues, but it is good to hear the personalised real-life stories and the practical difficulties for people. To be honest, it is overwhelming to be confronted with those stories. I cannot imagine what it is like to be in that position. I thank the witnesses for coming here and for their honesty and advocacy this morning. We learn so much at these committees. It is of benefit to have the notes and submissions from the witnesses. We now have a very powerful tool to advocate on behalf of the witnesses and to use their words. I thank them for that because it is very important.

I do not have too many questions as many of them have been answered already. The witnesses highlighted the blockages, barriers and lack of uniformity. Mr. Macey referred to a man who was glad there were no services because it made him feel better that it was not his fault he had been unable to find a service. It is a sad indictment of the system that the man felt it was his failure that he could not find any services. That is sad and upsetting. There is no one there to look after the individual. The service is fragmented. There is Headway and the National Rehabilitation Centre and the Irish Heart Foundation. I met with Kathryn in the Irish Heart Foundation a few times. These organisations are wonderful, but we are missing a critical database of stroke victims and the link in terms of making the stroke strategy a reality. The strategy is probably more than likely out of date at this stage. Even if it is published, there will be gaps because there will be changes in the meantime.

If she does not mind me personalising it, how does that make the Ms Bardon feel? She referred to the blockages in her school. She would be such a valuable resource to any school or place of employment, given her experience as a teacher and with this issue. She is the type of person that I would love my children to be taught by because she has an understanding and empathy towards difference and of individuals in a family. We are missing out as parents and as a State on having people like her teach our children. How does that make her feel? How does it impact on her recovery? Ms Bardon is fighting to recover. Ms Farrell's son is also fighting to recover and to continue his recovery. As Ms Bardon says, it is not just a case of saying a person is discharged and they are fine as they are at home. We are talking about a lifetime. How does that make her feel to be constantly othered and boxed off? I am sorry because I am a little emotional listening to the witnesses. I feel that we have let them down so much. How do the gaps in the service impact on recovery? I presume there is an incredible lack of mental health support to empower Ms Bardon to recover to her best self. I thank the witnesses.