Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I fully appreciate that she is not in a position to comment in any way on a specific case, but I am sure she understands that bringing such an example to the Dáil today helps to emphasise the need for progress on an issue such as this. I appreciate the Minister of State's statement on behalf of the Minister for Health.

I recognise that the Government's national policy and strategy for the provision of neuro-rehabilitation services in Ireland provides that overarching framework for the development and provision of these services. I referred to the 2011-2015 strategy report, and I recognise the importance of this. The strategy sets out a national model for service delivery and a framework for the future based on a continuum of individualised supports and services that are accessed at different stages in the rehabilitation journey, but what concerns me is that this report is still awaiting the development of an implementation plan by the Department of Health and the HSE. There is a large and growing unmet need since the report was introduced in 2011. What I really want is to see that strategy implemented and progress made on it after the number of years that have passed since its introduction. I thank the Minister of State.

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