Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yes and with two other Deputies.

The Minister of State did not answer the specific question he was asked. His colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, distributed copies of his script before he left. The third last bullet point on the last page reads:

In light of the comprehensive actions in progress across government, the ongoing engagements with people with disabilities and representative groups and having regard for Government policy on mainstreaming, it is not proposed to pursue legislation or an Oireachtas committee on autism.

The Minister of State might not have had the nerve to read that bullet point, but we can and the people in the Visitors Gallery and those listening to and watching this debate at home can see what this is. It is the Government patting itself on the back and stating it does not need to take any action because everything it is doing is grand. However, everything it is doing means that parents in my constituency have to wait 36 months, or three years, for services. They have to wait 18 to 24 months just for an assessment. The Minister of State has talked to mothers in my constituency; he should talk to mothers in his own. It is a battle. That is the word they use. They battle with the system and the Government and they battle and fight for their kids, yet the Minister of State has come here with a script that states, "it is not proposed to pursue legislation or an Oireachtas committee on autism". That is precisely for what the motion calls - the establishment of an Oireachtas committee. It is supported by every other party and Independent Deputy, but the Government has come here and not been honest because the Minister of State left out this line from his speech to the House. However, I can see it and have read it and the people watching this debate will understand exactly what it means.

The Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, was asked by my colleague, An Teachta Munster, to clarify the Government's position. It is very clear - since he did not move to address the question - that the Government does not propose to support the motion in any meaningful way. Rather, it will merely let it pass, but it will not take any action, which is not good enough, as the people concerned deserve better. We have heard fine words all evening for people who are dealing with autism and the system. We have spent the entire evening talking about how they deserve to be treated better. However, the message coming from the Government is that it is going to say fine words, but, in truth, it is not going to do anything. I really regret that the Minister of State did not move to clarify the Government's position and I think the people in the Visitors Gallery probably do too, although they will just add it to the list of things they regret because every single day they deal with what the Government is doing to people with autism and their families in the battles they have to fight.

I had a script - I was going to focus on health issues - but I am extremely angry that the Minister of State has not addressed the issue raised with his colleague, An Teachta Finian McGrath.

See this speech in context