Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The issue of CDNTs is one of recruitment of the therapists. I have convened meetings with the Ministers for Health and Education, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the HSE to prioritise the recruitment of therapists for special needs children. I have had issues on how this has progressed in certain areas with disability where children's access to therapists is not optimal. The issue seems to be particularly acute in the disability services in respect of the capacity to recruit therapists. Other sectors of the health service seem to have a better track record of recruiting therapists. That is an issue that needs to be sorted out by the HSE in respect of recruiting sufficient therapists for disability services for children.

ACRES is a fantastic scheme. I have a note here which I can share with the Deputy. I think that it is being expanded. The Burren programme involves a total area of just 11,000 ha of habitat being scored as a result of the results-based assessment. By comparison, under ACRES it is expected that almost 40,000 ha will be scored. That is a significant upscaling of environmental monitoring and assessment of that region. I have heard some concerns that farmers might get a lesser amount or whatever. I think that we have to address that. I will engage with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on that because we want to reward people doing good by the environment. We have to make sure that the entire thing is environmentally sound and that we do not lose the gains that have been made by the original programme.

The Minister is evaluating the situation regarding Horse Racing Ireland and I will come back to the Deputy on that.

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