Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has outlined in her response that funding has been allocated, that the FASD Hub Ireland was established in March 2023, and it operates from Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for anyone who lives with FASD. That is welcome but there is no funding provided for that.

The funding has not actually reached FASD Ireland yet to pay for that. It is operating the service but it is doing so with a loan from the bank because it is waiting for funding to come forward from the Government. It will be July or August at the earliest before funding makes its way to it. That is slack. It will not lead to putting the treatment on a good footing. Part of that funding has to provide for studies to be carried out but they will not be carried out in time for next year's application, so that time will be lost too. During this time, children will be lost. Children and families are living with this condition and cannot deal with it. They will lose out. We need to get moving on it quickly. I would like Deputy Smyth to pass that on to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, so she is aware of it and makes sure that funding gets there in a timely fashion.

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