Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach ignored all of the key areas that I outlined in my question. The fundamental point is that children in need, who are homeless or who require special interventions, particularly children with special needs, are not getting them and are waiting far too long, be it any of the therapies the Taoiseach wants to mention. Since the Taoiseach, when he was Minister for Health, gave a pledge that no one would be waiting longer than 18 months by the end of 2015, the number on that waiting list has gone up tenfold. All of the Taoiseach's own targets in the areas of mental health, therapeutic intervention, and childhood assessment under the Disability Act, have become worse and worse as the months go on. There are over 4,000 children waiting for an assessment. Early intervention is the key to a child fulfilling his or her potential. By any yardstick or metric, the Government is failing dramatically in respect of those targets. The Taoiseach can ask Barnardos, which knows a thing or two about the needs of children. It has stated this and called it the forgotten scandal in our society. I would appreciate if the Taoiseach could address more meaningfully the questions relating to mental health services access for children, special needs access for children and so on, the position in respect of which is quite shocking.

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