Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I take on board the Minister of State's point about problems in recruiting staff to fill these positions. I took up the issue initially on behalf of a young lad with severe autism in foster care. He went through the Cheeverstown House process and Abacus special school and discharged to the school age team in Chamber House in Tallaght and placed on its waiting list three years ago. He was put on the waiting list at the age of five years. He is now eight years old and still waiting for basic services. He cannot even get into Chamber House. He is just one of the 298 children on the Dublin south west school age team waiting list. There must be a radical rethink. While I understand there are problems in recruiting, this issue was flagged a long time ago. I am not saying the Minister of State is directly responsible; he has a legacy he is addressing. However, there has to be a radical approach. I am sure CHO 7 is not the only area in which this is happening. I am sure it is also happening in other parts of the country. We have to think radically, given that 298 children are waiting.

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