Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

It was notable that when the Deputies opposite spoke about providing for children with special needs, they used the word "services" more often than "resources". In the context of the Bill, the word "services" is more appropriate. Section 12 deals with the question of resources and how they might be prioritised and so on. We are talking about a statement of the services that a child will need, and under this Bill, those services will have to be provided. When one talks in terms of provision of services, one automatically requires, and it automatically implies, the provision of resources.

We are talking of people who are qualified to carry out assessments on children. We have a list of such people — psychologists, medical practitioners, school principals, appropriately qualified social workers and therapists — who are suitably qualified to provide support services. They will be asked to assess a child and say what services he or she needs. If we also ask them to quantify the financial resources required, then the one-month or three-month assessment periods of which we have been talking will extend quite considerably. The focus in this area is simply on the statement of the services which the child needs.

I understand what people are saying, but section 12 deals with the point of resources and that is the appropriate place for the debate about resources. By removing the word "services" and putting in the word "resources" we would do a disservice to the children.

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