Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge what Ms Hardiman said and I acknowledge there are plans afoot. However, my point is that these are emergencies now. In the past few weeks, we have dealt in our offices with people who are in prison now because there is no other place to put them. They have psychiatric difficulties and are under psychiatric care. It is not sufficient to meet their requirements. That is the problem. There are no residential places to send them and no other avenue other than through the courts. Committal is a difficult and serious situation.

There are children who have no place to go. In once case it was determined as a result of a court case that there was no place for a child who has severe, serious and acute difficulties. There is no place for that child to go in terms of education or care other than in the home, where it a significant 24-7 job for the parents. Is there a possibility that something might be done to address the urgency of this issue in the short term?