Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael)
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I will make a few comments. I thank the group in Athy for the work it does in its community and for the support it gives to families there. It has been spoken about here before and we have met various groups from around the country that are doing so much voluntary work and giving so much support without financial subvention from the State to help them give the support they give. We should look at providing a mechanism for groups to apply for funding, whether it is through the local authority or the Government, to support them to provide their supports and services.

I was reading Ms Darmody's piece again and I was drawn to what she said in her final paragraph, that she is here to try to inspire us. She has done so by coming here and in what she has done. I met Ms Darmody a number of months ago when she was in Leinster House after she decided to take on the task of doing the junior certificate. I am amazed that she decided to do that. I thought doing maths in the leaving certificate was difficult enough but I compliment Ms Darmody on what she is doing at the age of 12. She mentioned our report and it has been said that a diagnosis is a diagnosis for the whole family. We want to hear about the lived experience from families in the committee and that will form the basis of our report. The recommendations on what changes need to be made on the ground that we put forward will be ones from parents, siblings and families.

What does Ms Darmody want the committee to do? We will be making recommendations to Government, the Seanad and the Dáil next March and then it is a duty on us as public representatives to make sure those will be implemented. We will hold the Minister, whoever is in that position, to implementing what recommendations we make. What does Ms Darmody want us to do?