Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

It is incredible to hear the Taoiseach say that everything is fine, no worries, the Government is in charge, everything is under control. When one hears the Taoiseach say that the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, is working to the best of his abilities and we should leave him alone I wonder whether the Taoiseach understand the degree of shortfall, and the problems and trauma it creates for people with intellectual disabilities and their families?

He need only look at his national intellectual disability database which states the problem in black and white. Apart from the absence of standards, a serious problem with which we must deal, 1,906 people with intellectual disabilities will need places for residential services in the coming year. In 2006 only 255 places were given out. Is the Taoiseach telling the rest of those people that there is no problem? That is the impression he gives us. Is he telling the 1,877 people who are looking for respite services or residential support services that they will get places in the coming year? That has not been their experience in previous years. Will the 264 people looking for day services get places next year? These are the answers we need.

Is the Taoiseach able to tell those aging parents, who are worried sick that if they do not survive the year their children will be left without care or services, that they will get residential places? What will the Taoiseach say to those looking for places who do not have places and who on past experience will not be able to get places?

To be specific, in an area with a fast-growing population, my area in north Dublin, which the Taoiseach knows, the number of residential places sought——

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