Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to speak on this important motion and compliment Deputy Murphy O'Mahony for tabling it. I am delighted the Minister of State is in the House to listen to the debate. In the brief time available to me I want to acknowledge and salute the work of the Parkinson's Association of Ireland and in particular, the Tipperary branch, which was established over ten years ago to provide services and supports to people affected by Parkinson's disease in County Tipperary. I also want to compliment the work of Acquired Brain Injury Ireland which is Ireland's leading provider of flexible and tailor-made services for people with an acquired brain injury, ABI.

I wish to focus on needs within the counties of Clare and Kerry and north Tipperary. I have been actively supporting the work of Dr. Caitriona Crowe and the Living Well with Dementia in South Tipperary project for some time. I also compliment Councillor Richie Molloy on his work for carers in County Tipperary. Of particular importance is the 5 Steps project which, as I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, knows, is a sustained and mainstream HSE service delivered in partnership with Family Carers Ireland in south Tipperary, of which Councillor Molloy is manager. All of these projects do vital work, the value of which cannot be over-estimated. We cannot ever credit the valuable work done by the volunteers in these organisations.

An audit should be undertaken in order to embarrass the HSE about how little it does. As we know, Parkinson's disease is a progressive, neurological condition which impacts directly on 8,000 people in the country. What must be kept in mind, however, is that Parkinson's disease, acquired brain injuries and dementia are just some of the neurological conditions that affect individuals and families. I was appalled by a reply I received to a parliamentary question from the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, in July. It stated:

At present, it is difficult to determine how many people with ME are being seen in neurology ... services nationally.

Information on waiting times per speciality and per hospital is all that is currently available to the neurology programme, and as such we do not have accurate information on the demand on neurology services or indeed other specialties, including:

- Rheumatology;

- Pain Specialists...

- Cardiology etc.

These are the hallmarks of a care system in crisis. The Minister of State and his officials should be ashamed to include this in a reply. He cannot even count the numbers waiting. Perhaps he is not be bothered or he is too embarrassed to do it. It is shocking.

I stood on this side of the House for five years or longer and listened to him as he jumped up and down all the time to say what he was doing. I expected more from him. I did not expect him to give that kind of careless, flippant, unhelpful reply; I, at least, expected him to know how many people needed help. He should at least talk to his officials and assert himself, as he did when he was in opposition. He should not be a mouse; he should have things delivered. He was huffing and puffing on the issue of the international human rights committee which he was going to bring before the Cabinet. The measure is long overdue and I support him in that regard. On the other hand, he wants to introduce abortion on demand for people with disabilities. I ask him to consider his position because of those double standards.

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