Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My constituency of Dublin North-West has a large urban population of approximately 90,000 but it has a severe lack of medical facilities. This area has been neglected for many years and has been badly served when it comes to the provision of health services. For example, there has not been a single GP in the north and west of Finglas for more than 20 years. This alone should make the provision of a primary care centre all the more urgent. It has been more than a decade since Finglas was promised a primary care centre. A comprehensive study was carried out by the HSE and this identified an urgent need to deliver a primary care centre in the north and west of Finglas. Finglas was considered a top priority for the provision of a primary care centre yet areas such as Cabra and Blanchardstown had theirs built years ago. A new primary care centre is needed to deal with minor injuries and to provide social care, mental healthcare, GPs and other services for the local community.

One of the most pressing issues in my constituency is the assessment of children with autism and special needs and the delivery of supports for these children. The Minister of State knows that early intervention is crucial but children have been failed in this regard and many are waiting years before being properly assessed.

Many parents who come to my constituency office who have children who have been assessed are frustrated and in despair because they are finding it almost impossible to find school places for their children. These children are being left behind. Their parents have nowhere to turn. That is unacceptable. The Government needs to invest more in the provision of special needs assistants, child psychiatrists, specialised therapies and in an increase in the expertise available across the disability services, which is currently severely lacking.

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