Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. At a recent University Limerick Hospitals Group briefing to this committee, representatives mentioned that they noticed that there has been an increase in the number of people with disabilities presenting to the emergency department. I think a new respite house may have opened in the interim but what they said at the briefing was that there was a need for an additional four respite houses for the region. I just wanted to mention that to see if we are on track for that in the near future.

In respect of the issue of reimbursement messaging, we have all mentioned Cara Dermody and the fantastic work she has been doing. I know she will continue to campaign. She went to the media and highlighted the issues involved but she did not have any issues when it came to the HSE being able to pay for the assessment to be done. It was not the case that her family were reimbursed directly. The arrangement that the HSE came to seemed to skip them but ensured that the child did receive an assessment of need. If I am wrong about that, the Minister can correct me. A lot of parents would have paid attention to that particular case and wondered if that was something they could arrange for their child, for that payment to be made and the assessment to be done.