Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not buy into this spin about new politics. What is there is an arrangement which suits Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. I commend the work the Ceann Comhairle has done in terms of bringing in necessary reforms of how we do our business. However, the biggest difficulty is getting answers from Ministers, either in the exchanges in the Chamber or as one goes about trying to make representations on behalf of constituents. The Taoiseach cited the need for greater co-operation and greater information sharing with the Oireachtas.

I will give an example which I am sure matches the experience of all Teachtaí. I am fighting a case for a 42 year old adult with serious issues whose parents can no longer deal with this chap because he has such profound issues. I made representations to the HSE, as other Deputies would. The HSE sent back responses which are not adequate. We then made representations to the Minister. In this case, the Minister for Health referred it to the Minister of State with responsibility for people with disabilities, and we got an answer saying he has referred it back to the HSE. That is the universal experience. In another case, a five year old boy has only had two one-to-one speech therapy sessions despite the fact this child could be helped greatly if he got this therapy in a timely way. We were put through the same perambulations once again, namely, representations to the HSE, representations to the Minister and it is then sent back to the HSE.

The single biggest reform any Government could bring in would be to get clarity and clear answers. I do not know who the geniuses are who script the responses. There seems to be a type of genius involved in trying not to give people clear answers. The Taoiseach famously said at one time that Paddy and Patricia need to know. Imagine the family who are beside themselves trying to get respite care and other care for a 42 year old adult or, on the other side of the scale, the parents of that five year old boy. That is the reality. It is not just an issue when I talk to the Taoiseach every so often. It is an issue in their lives every single day. Thus far, I have been unable to get answers for those two families to the very legitimate questions they are asking.

See this speech in context