Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that the issue is being examined at national level. However, in Meath this service has been provided for decades. Most children with special needs whose parents wish them to attend a mainstream preschool do so. We would like certainty and we would like to see the results of the report, as well as having proper funding in place for next year. We would like to see parents and schools better informed about the situation because the uncertainty is causing stress, anxiety, worry and tears. I will be raising this issue again, as will other colleagues. It is important that it is raised in the House today. The HSE needs to take immediate action and to explain that what it intends to provide will be at least the same as last year - which is not sufficient and was not sufficient last year. There needs to be a level of service equivalent to what has been provided. Some certainty needs to be provided because this will be a very anxious month for many parents as they wait for a decision about next year but also for society in general as we wait to see what the Government plans to do. I suggest that the principle of the Meath plan is good and it should be used in other areas rather than it being abolished in Meath. I thank the Minister of State and I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise the matter.