Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I agree that early intervention is key. That is not in doubt. Last week I attended a meeting of EU health Ministers where it was emphasised that we ought to be thinking in terms of equal opportunities for children with communication disorders given that one in three, one in four and one in five children, respectively, will be born with a visual, speech or hearing difficulty. By the time children enter primary school, 20% have difficulties to do with hearing. Early screening and assessment of these problems is the best way to ensure children's rights, as articulated in the UN convention, are met in this State. We have much work to do not only in terms of early intervention but also in respect of child protection. The Health Service Executive's director of child and family services, a recently recruited international expert, has said that our child protection system is not fit for purpose and that a great deal of work remains to be done.

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