Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Today is International Women’s Day. We know that women disproportionately adopt caring duties in the home. We also know the State's supports for carers are utterly threadbare. There are now 700 vacant posts in the children's disability network teams, CDNTs. Not one of those teams is fully staffed. Despite all the promises made by the Government to improve services, fewer therapy hours were delivered last year compared with the year before. The situation is getting worse, not better. Children with disabilities, and their families, must battle from the day they are born. It is shameful that their biggest battle is often with the State in the context of trying to get basic services, such as an assessment, essential therapies or even a school place. This abject neglect has disastrous consequences. The opportunity for early intervention is missed. Children's development is limited and they are prevented from reaching their full potential. When will the State stop failing women and their children? When will the CDNTs be fully staffed?

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