Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Dr. Muldoon for his very comprehensive overview. I have a couple of questions, the first of which is on the intermediary to whom Dr. Muldoon referred. I ask him to elaborate a little more on exactly who that person would be. Who would engage on behalf of children under 16? My second question relates to young people with physical disabilities. I refer young people who are non-verbal, who have hearing or vision impairments or a multitude of those and who obviously also have mental health issues. Has Dr. Muldoon's office given any consideration to how they should be treated, particularly those who are under 16? This may be a small group of young people, but it is a group that is profoundly affected. If these young people fall into a situation where their mental health is compromised or challenged, it that can be very serious, especially if they are non-verbal. I ask Dr. Muldoon and his colleagues to give us their thoughts on those two issues.