Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That is no problem. I second the amendment.

I thank my Labour Party colleagues for tabling the motion on access to educational and other opportunities for people with disabilities to allow for discussion on the issue. While my colleague Senator Averil Power may have mentioned that in our view it was a little bit general, it is still very important that it be discussed.

What really disappoints me is the response delivered by the Minister of State. I was hoping for better from newly appointed Ministers such as Deputy Ó Ríordáin. While this is not his direct responsibility, what really disappointed me this evening is that the Minister of State read a script, much of which was patently not true and a lot of which was fantasy. When I look at the provision of therapy in the Minister of State's constituency of Dublin Bay North, I can see that the waiting list for services has been closed since November 2012. In my area, Dublin North, the waiting list for early intervention for speech and language therapy has been closed since June 2012. The Minister of State delivered a script that stated "The Executive has introduced a number of initiatives to ensure that these therapy services are delivered in as equitable a manner as possible and on the basis of prioritised need." I would love the newly appointed Ministers and Ministers of State to meet a few people.

I would love if any Minister read what the Minister of State has read to us this evening to parents of kids with special needs who cannot access the services. I do not expect the Minister to have a magic wand. Successive Governments have not always done things right.
Let us look at some of the figures that the Minister of State trotted out here on increasing services.We know, in many areas, they have been cut and have not kept up to speed with the growth in population. We know that so what was the point in having someone write this script? What was the point in him coming here and reading it out? I thought a lot more of him in that regard. I thought that he would be more independent minded.
His colleagues, the two Labour Senators who spoke, asked for certain things to be prioritised. Not once, in his answer, did he say what he would do differently. His colleagues were saying: "Look, we have a problem." I am not blaming him for it but we do have a problem. What can be done to even prioritise these areas in the next 12 months? The Government cannot fix it all. How can we reduce the waiting lists in certain areas, say in the Dublin region for argument's sake, where we have no early intervention teams at all? This crap the HSE has trotted out on the provision of speech and language therapy is not true.
I know Deputy Ó Ríordáin does not have direct responsibility in this area but he is a Minister of State. I would love him to come in here and say: "Right, I am going to take these points back. I am going to advocate before the budget where we are going to seek additional funding in this place to try to alleviate the problem in this area." These kids cannot speak and are not going to reach their full potential unless they are given early intervention. I have used this one area as an example. I hope we will all learn from this over time - and I am not being personal or talking about the Minister of State because this happens all the time - but one could have brought anyone in to read the script.
Most of us know the situation that prevails. The Minister of State can talk to his colleagues here and the people who are involved in the sector who have special needs kids and young adults who, after leaving secondary school, try to access services but cannot. All of us know it and he will find out when he goes to his own clinic and offices. I suggest he gives his script to the people who come to him, as constituents, who have problems accessing services for children and young adults in education. I am sure they will tell him that it is rubbish.
Advances have been made over the years, through successive Governments, but it is not perfect and we know it is not perfect. The script the Minister of State read makes it seem there is no problem and allocations are being made. It contains some great stuff such as: "There is a national structure to underpin this change management programme with national, regional and local implementation groups in place." What the hell is that? We know there is problem in this area which needs €10 million funding and needs to be resourced properly. Let us do so and stop this nonsense. The Minister of State's colleagues who tabled the motion deserve better. I refer to his two colleagues, in particular, on the Government side who have spoken and speak about these issues regularly. I have heard the Minister of State speak about these issues very passionately so I know he does not believe what was in the script. Why come in here and read it out? Just set it aside and say: "Yes, we have problems but we have made advances in certain areas."
I know a young adult at the moment who is deaf, is in a wheelchair and has come through the system but cannot access any services right now. I am due to meet his mother again on Friday. I have written to the Minister for Health, the previous Minister for Health, the Minister for Education and Skills and all the multi-agencies.
I agree with one aspect mentioned at the very beginning of the speech that the issue is multi-departmental but that is the problem. The issue sits in all these different Departments and nothing gets done when there is a real problem with a young adult that needs to be addressed. I am not being personally critical of the Minister of State. For Christ's sake, will he tell his colleagues, particularly the newer people, that this type of stuff is not what I expect from him? It is not what I expect from someone who knows what is happening on the ground. Let him stop coming in here and reading what the HSE wants him to say. Let us recognise where there are problems and work together to fix them. I am going to give what he read out to the lady I will meet on Friday at 2.30 p.m. with her son Gavin and ask her what she thinks of it. I will highlight what the Government is saying about the services that are available.The 15,000 children who are waiting over a year for speech and language therapy-----