Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise with the Tánaiste the reconfiguration of services in the children's disability network. I have met a number of parents from Tramore and the outskirts of Waterford city who have been recently informed that their children's services, for example, occupational and speech and language therapies, have been moved from Waterford city to Dungarvan. The Tánaiste knows the geography of County Waterford better than most people here. It is quite a distance to travel from Tramore to Dungarvan. These people are more used to accessing their services in Waterford city. Many of the children are attending special schools in Waterford city. In the current situation, if they have to attend services during school time, they will have to picked up in Waterford city and ferried to Dungarvan and back again, which means they will miss three-hours plus of their normal school day. There may be parents who are reliant on public transport. The Tánaiste will know that public transport from Tramore into the city is fine. Will the Tánaiste work with the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, Deputy Rabbitte, to reach a common sense solution for these reconfigurations?

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