Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Taoiseach well if this is his last day taking Leaders' Questions. I thank him for his friendship and loyalty over the last seven or eight years.

In the aftermath of the referendums we had and the Government's insistence that it wanted to do something for carers, will the Government support our Private Member's motion coming before the Dáil next month? We will be seeking the introduction or the initiation of a non-means-tested carers support scheme for carers.

Equally, regarding the issue of disabilities and the waiting times we have now, it was reported yesterday that 8,900 children were on a waiting list waiting for an assessment of need. The NGOs have said the HSE's own figures last October referred to approximately 19,000 people waiting for a needs assessment. We need to get to grips with what is happening here and have a true account so we can plan for the future.

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