Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the strategy that will be published in March but all the strategies in the world will not make a difference to the level of accommodation provided unless funding is also provided. We can stack strategies to the ceiling of the Dáil. Will the Taoiseach commit to making sure that, on the day of the strategy being published, he will also publish the funding that will accompany the strategy?

It is not just domestic violence that has received a spike. Yesterday, I received information that there was an increase in the number of babies born with alcohol and drug addiction in the State. Just before Christmas, I received information that 70,000 children were referred to Tusla last year. This is more children than do the leaving certificate in a given year. There has been a major spike with regard to the mental health of children. The development of children with special needs has reversed over recent years. Hospital waiting lists have ballooned. Cancer diagnosis screening and treatment have collapsed. On Friday, the Taoiseach mentioned the Government would conduct an investigation into the measures taken over the past two years with regard to restrictions. Will the Taoiseach give us a date as to when that review or investigation will take place so we can learn from what happened over the past two years and make sure the damage that was done is not replicated?

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