Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleagues, Deputies Thomas Byrne, O'Loughlin and Murphy O'Mahony for their work on this issue. I mean no personal offence to the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, but the Department of Education and Skills has a Minister and two Ministers of State and it is not acceptable they cannot be present for the debate. When Deputy Curran was Chief Whip, a Minister from the relevant Department was present for debates.

As we returned after the recess, the Proclamation of 1916 was restored to its natural place.

It is the same Proclamation that guarantees equal rights and opportunities to all citizens and promises that it will cherish all the children of the nation equally. These words ring hollow to the parents of children with special needs who are seeking education or health services. For some reason this country conspires to make an incredibly difficult journey even more difficult at every possible opportunity. Challenges are put in front of parents, grandparents and other loved ones in seeking basic services in education, as we are discussing, health and across a range of other areas. This has to stop. It cannot be allowed to be the standard in Ireland in 2020. We need to make the pathway much less difficult. We need to help parents, instead of hindering them. As a nation, we need to live up to the standards set in the document to which we all subscribe, copies of which all Deputies and Senators give to their visitors. However, does it live out in the daily lives of the citizens of this republic? In this case it does not.

The State and its services are not designed to provide care seamlessly for people who give their entire lives to their families and are under tremendous stress. The State does not seem to have a problem with therapist positions not being filled and with therapists on sick leave or maternity leave without providing cover. It does not seem to have a problem with a lack of or having zero education places. It is time to call halt and live up to the aspirations of the Proclamation.

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