Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Last night's "Prime Time Investigates" programme showed up another appalling scandal in Irish society similar to the Leas Cross programme. This time it dealt with our young rather than the elderly. The programme clearly showed that services for children at serious risk are hopelessly inadequate and they are not being delivered. It also showed clearly that some children will die and others will suffer long-term damage unless decisive and effective action is taken. I accuse the Minister for Health and Children, the HSE and the Department of Health and Children of hiding behind the mantra, the construction of words, "services are being delivered to children who are at immediate and serious risk". The phrase "immediate and serious risk" is repeated over and over again as an incidence of competence when clearly the issue is that children at risk are not receiving any services. Given that 258 people are lying on trolleys around the country, 3,598 children are waiting for psychological assessments and 40,000 people are waiting for operations, how many children at risk are on waiting lists where no intervention has taken place and where clearly the consequences pointed out in last night's programme beckon for their future?

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