Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Palliative care is a core component of healthcare provision in Ireland. We have to make sure it is available to every child and adult when they need it, whether it is at home or in hospital. We do not think often enough about it until we hear the story of a young child whose parents were heartbroken because they did not have the opportunity to bring their little man home. The Deputy said he was told in 2020 the service had progressed. The specialist palliative care team in Children's Health Ireland works in close liaison with medical teams providing care to children throughout the country. In the south east of the country, two clinical nurse co-ordinators for children with life-limiting conditions support the provision of safe care for children in the home. A care plan is put in place once the referral is received from pediatric community palliative care.

The HSE is working to develop a robust long-term solution for the provision of pediatric palliative care services in the south east and to progress the required supports. No timeframe is provided here but I will give the Deputy my guarantee that I will keep on top of this. It does not matter whether it is the south east, the north west or anywhere else, any child who is at end of life and for whom the parents and consultant agree he or she can come home for his or her last days of life should be able to get the support needed. It is hard to believe we are even having the conversation. I give the Deputy a commitment to keep on top of it. I thank him for raising this very important topic.

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