Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will continue, with the Department of Health and the HSE, to advance progress on the provision of services for those living with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. I am also conscious, listening to the Deputy's contribution, that a lot of other agencies lean on the hub in Clare for support, including Tusla in Clare and a lot of other counties. I completely agree with the Deputy that the training the FASD Ireland provides needs to be rolled out and scaled to the front line of some of our organisations, including Tusla but also in education and primary care. I am not saying we should diagnose but we should be conscious of the signs professionals can signpost correctly within their fields, so there is an understanding and a pathway there to support parents and people on the front line.

I mentioned the likes of Tusla leaning on the FASD hub in Clare. It is amazing that it does not pay for the service. The hub in Clare, believe it or not, provides hidden disability lanyards as a source of income to support its operations. When I talk about this tug of responsibility, I genuinely see it as a disability piece.

The Department of Health has an awareness and prevention role in this but there is a diagnostic and clear pathways piece. There is an upcoming strategy on disability. I know the team participated in one of the roundtable meetings. There is a clear pathway for engagement and for having FASD signposted in the strategy.

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