Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

The child and family support agency Bill is more necessary than ever given the extent of the cuts the Government has applied to one-parent family supports, disability payments, the provision of special needs assistants and so on. Families are facing an increasing number of challenges as a result of these reductions. Will the Bill provide for a sufficiency of places for the hundreds of intellectually disabled children who left school in June?

Earlier today I met a delegation from Community Hospital of the Assumption in Thurles. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, has reneged on a firm commitment he gave to reopen 22 beds at that facility.

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