Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent)

I am sorry. I beg Senator Leyden's pardon. I echo what Senator Darragh O'Brien said on the upsetting state of the children's emergency health service. The Irish Association for Emergency Medicine said this morning that children are spending more than 12 hours on trolleys. Let us stop for a moment to contemplate the situation. Most of us have children. What is more important than looking after the health of our children in this country? To echo Senator Darragh O'Brien, the number of children remaining on trolleys has increased by 700% in three years. It is worrying that, according to the association, the rate of children leaving hospital without being seen has increased. The Children's University Hospital in Temple Street is also reporting that the overcrowding situation has significantly worsened. I am aware that the new children's hospital will help to ease overcrowding but we need a plan in the short term to deal with this serious situation. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on children's services, especially health services, given the worrying trend of overcrowding.

To return to the Jack & Jill Children's Foundation charity, in October I raised the issue of trying to get €240 a week for a child in Tipperary to be nursed at home. Now we seem to have a problem nursing children in hospitals. We cannot seem to nurse children at home, which is far better value than nursing them in hospitals. We should reflect on what we are doing if we cannot look after the sick children in this country.