Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and the Minister for being here to take this Topical Issue. The children's disability network team, CDNT in Balbriggan district covers Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Loughshinny and the surrounding rural areas. This waiting list has more than 1,000 kids on it. At a recent meeting, the HSE representatives admitted it is likely to be the worst in this State.

It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear from parents, and I do not propose to go into detail with a lot of personal stories. However, I spoke to Alison and Mark, and they are parents to Ada, who is nearly five. They sent me this email, and I will read it to illustrate for the Minister how bad it is:

Parents of children on the waiting list were invited to a meeting in the Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan by the CDNT on 22nd March 2023 in an attempt to discuss a family forum plan, however, during the 2+ hours, most of the time was spent by distressed parents shouting out their concerns and questions. My husband and I witnessed many parents in tears as they tried to voice their concerns regarding the complete lack of services for their children as well as the many accounts of unanswered phonecalls and emails.

The CDNT in the Balbriggan district has a waiting list with 1000 + children.

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It was abundantly apparent that all the other parents we listened to and saw were exhausted to the point of being completely worn down. We are desperate and frustrated at the lack of information, communication and support. The over powering feeling in the room that day was that we parents felt unheard and our children are being forgotten about.

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It's unforgivable that we are willing to leave the most vulnerable (disabled children) without the care, support and services they need to have the "Same Chance" as everyone else.

When Ada was aged one and a half, her mam and dad, Alison and Mark, realised that she had delayed development and they started the process of referral. Frustrated, and at considerable cost to themselves, they paid for a private assessment which confirmed that Ada has autism spectrum disorder. That report was sent to the CDNT nearly two years ago. It has been nearly four years since Mark and Alison started the referral process, and in that time, Ada has received exactly 30 minutes of speech and language therapy and no other therapies. That was yesterday. She received 30 minutes, and she will be five in July. They started this process before she was one and a half. Thirty minutes, and she got that yesterday.

Ada's parents want what every parent wants for their child: that she can live her best life, and that she can thrive. Their child needs some little bit of support to be able to help her do that, and they have been everywhere. They are patient and decent people. However, Ada is just one child out of more than 1,000 on a list for the Balbriggan district covering a huge area in north County Dublin.

I spoke to Alison yesterday. She and Mark were at pains to point out that they are not looking for special treatment. That is not what they are doing. They came to me to try to find a pathway through to the services that their daughter needs. They are not looking for special treatment but are just highlighting the situation that exists for many parents. I highlight their case only as an example of the 1,000 plus children who are waiting. What they said is very true. They feel like they have been forgotten and that they are not being listened to. When they went to the meeting with the CDNT they left with less hope than they went in with, which is really not the purpose of such meetings. I have spoken to a number of parents who were at that meeting and their frustration was absolutely palpable. Parents are burnt out and absolutely exhausted. They feel that their children are put on a waiting list and just forgotten about.

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