James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

I concur with the previous two speakers. There are precedents for clinical supervision. A newly qualified doctor has to serve an intern year under full supervision before being considered a fully fledged professional or continuing on to post-graduate training. The Taoiseach was unwise to use that example.

As I noted earlier, 4,136 Dublin children are waiting an average of 18 months for speech and language services. If a child with autism does not receive an intervention between the ages of three and six, the window of opportunity is closed. Half of that period could be spent in waiting. It is an unacceptable situation and the Minister of State will have to address it in a more forceful manner than has formerly been the case.

An entire class of physiotherapists have been trained at great expense and are badly needed for community and primary care, yet they are leaving the country because they cannot find employment.

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