Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The tone and content of the amendment is significant and would lessen the burden of care on parents of disabled children. I welcome the fact that Senator Kett has entered the debate because he has vast experience on the matter. I am aware, from my time in labour affairs which would have handled these issues, that the consultative process involving IBEC, ICTU, the community pillar and others has laboured long and hard to reconcile these points of view. Obviously, the reconciliation is often not to everybody's liking because each has had to give way to some degree to accommodate the other side. Could ICTU, IBEC and all the other pillars who are involved in the process — our lives are ruled mainly by partnership — be asked for their views on this issue? Is there any way those views could be accommodated?