Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is a very good case. Yesterday I met the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, to discuss children and waiting lists. Every week, I sit beside Deputy Smith, because that is where my normal seat in the House is. Every week I discuss with him access to children's rheumatoid services. I am acutely aware of the conversations we have had. Every evening I see posts on Twitter about children who cannot access orthopaedic services. I talk specifically about Down's syndrome when I have this conversation.

I will take on board the compelling pleas both Deputies have made today. I hear exactly what they are saying. We want to leave a legacy showing we can do it differently in health, we can make priorities and we can provide access to care. Yesterday, I spoke to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, about funds for access to care and how the money can be used to make a difference to young people's lives. How will we prioritise? How will we clear our waiting lists? How can we ensure the parents, many of whom come to our constituency clinics and who are waiting for far too long, can access it?

I would like to see Cappagh, as Deputy Cahill has done this week. Everybody speaks very highly of the services it delivers. It would be wonderful to see how it can put an action plan in place to deliver on the assessments and if the investment could be made there. I would like to attend it and perhaps Deputy Cahill could set that up for me.

See this speech in context