Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of supports for children with autism with additional needs. I have listened to many Ministers talk in recent weeks about the issue of children with additional needs and, to be honest, I found it quite nauseating. I worked as a child and family support network co-ordinator with Tusla for many years and I have worked with so many families who, prior to Covid-19, found it next to impossible to access services in an appropriate time. They usually waited years for assessments, early interventions, school-age teams and even placements. Today, I was in contact with a parent of James, who is eight years old and who is in palliative care. He lives in Corduff and has two days a week of service on the Navan Road, but he cannot get to it because he has no transport. I raised this matter during the last lockdown when this parent provided her own transport. She cannot afford to keep paying for a taxi so can funding be provided for that?

See this speech in context