Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed with the Tánaiste's response. He spoke about reform and statistics. The reality is that of the 1,400 children nationwide with life-limiting conditions, who are primarily being looked after by the Jack and Jill Foundation, approximately 350 die per annum. We all acknowledge that we are in difficult economic circumstances and perhaps we will have the luxury on another day of discussing how we got into these circumstances. However, the Tánaiste and his Government are currently responsible for dealing with the situation and it is an indictment of them that they are not prioritising the care of children. The care of the aforementioned children has been left to a voluntary organisation. A study at Trinity College Dublin which was commissioned by the Jack and Jill Foundation and run by a man who is over 70 years of age and has dedicated his life to the care of those children has found that it would cost €16,500 to provide palliative care for children at home, whereas providing for them in hospital, where many of them have to stay because the Government is not addressing the problem, is costing nine times more, or approximately €150,000 per annum. That is not good for the Exchequer and it certainly is not good for the children who are affected.

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