Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Some very good centres have developed. The Cork Enable Ireland centre has been a tremendous success in Curraheen. That came out of Progressing Disability and it is an excellent service. Provision in general, however, is too patchy. We have evolved a non-governmental organisation provision, with various charities, that in the past has provided services when the State was not providing services. In some instances, the State is always negotiating with agencies and negotiating with service providers, and this tug-of-war that goes on is not productive or constructive. For example, when we were trying to set up classes or schools for children with autism, some service providers might have said they did not want any more, that they had enough, and that they were not going to facilitate an expansion. That is going to have to change and the State is going to have to become more involved in providing services directly. I take the point, however, that it should not be done at the expense of other services. If the child already has an existing service, he or she should retain that service. If somebody wants to create a new service, there are many other children who will avail of the new service. The quality of service should not be diluted.