Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. I approach everything on the basis that people come to the table with the very best intentions. I have always done that and that is how I will continue. Equally, when I am dealing with any situation I ask myself what I would do in that circumstance. I know if I had a child who was receiving a very good service and there was a possibility that service might move to a different location, I would be very nervous about all of that. I understand this, I really do. What we need to look at is how to improve the service. It is not about taking from Peter to pay Paul, which never works: neither Peter nor Paul is happy. We really need to start improving the service.

We have used a model which I am reluctant to mention because I know it could be misinterpreted and I do not mean it in that way. The model we used in the area of mental health, whereby we mapped what was necessary for delivering the service in the community, is a good one and we must consider it. The deeds will be different in the area of disability and we understand that. Nevertheless that type of mapping process works. It looks at where gaps exist and what is necessary to ensure they are filled, not by robbing Peter to pay Paul but by taking a look at the kind of enhanced budget we need. This may be a separate budget. In mental health, we used developmental money rather than a centralised budget. That is the direction we need to take and we must look at it.

That answer will not satisfy the parents we met in Ballincollig - at this time. However, if we have a view of where we want to get to and if there is an incremental plan of how to get there, we could go on this journey together.

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