Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am a little surprised as to how business is conducted in this House in respect of certain matters. While I may be stepping on toes by making this point, I am not at all sure that tabling an amendment is the best way to deal with this matter. I am a little surprised that some form of joint agreement on the matter has not been reached in this House. I make no apologies for making this point because this is a highly emotive issue. Those involved in it are hugely dedicated and committed to giving support to their children when the State has been unable to provide that support.

This situation has persisted for many years as if one considers the background, the national advisory committee on palliative care was established back in 2001 and an assessment was carried out between the Irish Hospice Foundation and the Department of Health and Children back in 2005. However, seven years later, we are still trying to put together the long-term direction. While there must be compromise on all aspects, particularly at present given the financial constraints, I believe we must be somewhat more proactive in respect of how we deal with such issues. This pertains to an organisation that has raised more than ¤35 million. No one is entitled to criticise it for the service it has provided over many years in giving support to families. The question now is how one can assist to make sure this is not considered on a year-to-year basis but in respect of where one wants to be in five years time when dealing with this issue.

While I accept there are budgetary constraints, we need long-term planning to deal with this very difficult issue. We already had a long discussion today on the Department's budgetary constraints during which I mentioned that in 2011 an amount equivalent to all the income tax collected went into health care. How do we now fit this area into existing budgets? While people might say I am stepping outside the Government line in this, it is an area that needs more thought. We also need to give more thought to the proposal before the House tonight. The Minister of State might have something constructive to say as she always does when she comes to the House. Once we have listened to her we might work out how best to deal with the motion and what is required in order to put in place a long-term structured approach to the problem.

The earlier speakers, including the proposer and seconder of the motion have outlined the difficulties parents face when dealing with this problem, and the support and commitment they must give. People are spending a considerable amount of time on fund-raising to provide those services. We need more long-term planning in the area. It is disappointing that it has taken 11 years to reach this stage. Do we need to wait another 11 years or can we do something more positive from now on despite the existing budgetary restrictions? In replying to the motion, I ask the Minister of State to deal with not just the here and now but also how we can deal with this in a long-term way. We need to ask where we want to be in five years on the issue. Will we have another similar debate in five years or can we put something concrete and definite in place?