Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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There is great work done by An Saol, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland and Multiple Sclerosis Ireland. We have heard all the issues in the Dáil about multiple sclerosis. The urgent need for early intervention constantly comes up. That applies to all the services once there is a serious incident and someone gets a brain injury or otherwise. Early intervention is so important.

Deputy Dessie Ellis: The, work done by Teach an Saol, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland and Multiple Sclerosis Ireland. and we have heard all the issues in the Dáil about multiple sclerosis which constantly comes up about early intervention which is urgently needed. That applies to all the services. Once there is a serious incident and someone gets a brain injury or otherwise, early intervention is so important.

I know the programme for Government included a commitment to implement the neurorehabilitation strategy. There are delays in the full implementation and that was mentioned.

CHO 9 is an area with a large number of medical centres - Beaumont Hospital, the Mater, the national neuroscience centre, and the national trauma centre. Given the roles these centres play, it is crucial to ensure that they are bolstered by long-term community neurorehabilitation, which is needed to address the growing demand for care. As the witnesses have said, there has been progress with the team being funded, but how can we ensure there will be recruitment? From what I can gather, it seems to be a big problem. It is important to have the expertise necessary to operate these centres.

I looked through the table that has been provided on the gaps in service in the CHOs for inpatient neurorehabilitation services and community neurorehabilitation teams across the country. It is recommended that there should be six persons for every 100,000 of population. CHO 5 has none. CHO 2 has none. My own area, CHO 9, which includes Dublin North-West, Dublin Central and Dublin North-Central, has 3.3 for 675,000. It just shows the work that must be done and the funding that is required. That seems to be a significant problem. I recently had a person in with me who needs two carers. The person had a fall, got badly hurt and was in a wheelchair, but only one person could be supplied to them. That seems to happen a great deal. The new centre was mentioned. It is very important to have a centre of excellence where different groups are located. It makes it easier to gather all the statistics needed to find out what the problems are. I do not know where we are in that regard, but from what has been said, we are a good bit away from that.

I wish to raise the neuromapping project involving the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, the Disability Federation of Ireland and the HSE. The Minister is to launch a report. What is the status of the report? Will it be launched shortly?

The witnesses spoke about over-18s in regard to the policy of admitting people to nursing homes. A person of 65 can go into a nursing home but it is a different situation if a person who is 18 is stuck for a place. The gap must be filled in some way if that is what is required. There is much to be done in that regard, and it requires funding. The witnesses will have our support in whatever they want us to do in terms of chasing a Minister or Department. I will do that and I will raise issues. Deputy Tully is also on the committee. I will also raise the needs of the witnesses with our health spokesperson.