Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I am in my office in Leinster House. I thank the witnesses for their time this afternoon. It is very important to have the testimonies they have delivered. We all got a feel for their own personal circumstances and the very varied experiences they have all had. It is very important for us to hear those.

It is hugely concerning for me. Like other members of this committee, I am a member of the Committee on Disability Matters and, unfortunately, because of my experience on that committee, I am not at all surprised by the situation. It is a relentless situation, fighting for therapy, and as discussed, the person who shouts loudest, rings up the most or gets lucky, or whatever is the case, gets the service. Services should not be about luck but should be about providing care for the children.

I am personally very familiar with the incredible work of the Down's syndrome centre in the north east, which is based in Castleblayney, and also the Louth-Meath Down Syndrome Society, both of which are incredible organisations. There are fantastic fundraising drives every single year and we do the Neon Run and all of these other things for Down's syndrome. We do this without thinking to support families and to make sure they are getting services.

I would like to hear the witnesses’ views. I sometimes feel in this game that I am a bit paranoid or pessimistic. I sometimes feel that because Down Syndrome Ireland does such an incredible job, the HSE might subconsciously be abandoning or allowing Down's syndrome societies and branches to take over those therapies. It believes that people are getting something in the Down's syndrome branches, so the HSE does not have to see them. That is a very cynical view of mine but I would like to hear the opinion of the witnesses. I sometimes feel it is that way.

The witnesses discussed the services their branches provide. I am familiar with early learning, reading groups and adult literacy groups in my own region. Has it ever been discussed between the branches and the HSE with regard to doing service level agreements, and paying for and supporting the efficiency that these groups have created within their own organisations, with the HSE outsourcing services to these organisations because they are delivering? As one of the testimonies stated, these organisations do not have any waiting lists, and they have worked hard to get those waiting lists down.

Last week at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters, we had members of the HSE disability services before us. In any industry, if it cannot employ people and cannot deliver a service because it does not have the people, the industry would undertake research and undertake a job of work. I asked why we are not filling our teams and why we are not filling these posts. The HSE said it is doing a lot of work on pay, facilities and career structure. Have the witnesses seen that on the ground? I cannot see it on the ground. I cannot see the extra effort the HSE says it is making actually come to fruition.