Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter. I am pleased the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is present to take it.

Malachi was born on 6 September 2006 with the condition hydrocephalus, a learning disability, evolving cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He attends a school in Newbridge, which is 35 miles from his home. The family, because of his health condition, cannot allow him to go on the bus and must bring him a round trip of almost 70 miles in the morning and the same in the evening. That amounts to 140 miles a day.

They want to move the child to St. Lazerian's school in Carlow, which is ten miles from the family home, would give a round trip of any given day of 40 miles, and is an improvement of 100 miles. One can see immediately, from a convenience, financial and family liaison perspective, the advantage in this regard.

Malachi is a young boy with significant physical and medical needs. He has an intellectual disability within the severe to profound range. He depends totally on those around him. He is like a six month old baby. He cannot speak, walk or hold himself upright. He must be lifted in and out of bed. He has major problems.

The facilities in the school in Newbridge are specific to Malachi and cannot be used, from a measurement perspective, etc., for any other child. I cannot see but that the HSE, in its wisdom, would look at this case and say, from a sympathetic and family perspective, that it, too, would like to see Malachi moved to the facility in Carlow, and whatever facilities he has to help him attend the school transferred to the HSE in Carlow. It is a simple, family-orientated matter. It will ensure these parents, who have two other small children, will be able to have some prime time with their other children as well instead of being on the road for hours each day to provide for their loved one, Malachi.

It seems a simple matter, but the family has met total resistance in trying to overcome this problem. I would hope the Minister of State would see logic in the argument. It is a simple, family-orientated argument. It is to ensure a family can exist in the present environs of the struggle the parents have to provide for their child as well as looking after their other two small children. It beggars belief. Is the HSE that looks after the Carlow area and the HSE that looks after the Kildare area poles apart? Can common sense not prevail to help a family which urgently needs permission to move a child to another school? The long school journey for their son generates substantial costs in terms of petrol and car maintenance and requires that two small children are left at home while they journey for longer periods. If a little common sense were shown, the problem would be overcome. I hope the Minister of State accepts the logic of the proposal.

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