Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will clarify again. It is the Minister, Deputy Ring, the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, because Donegal County Council owns Swan Park, as well as the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh. We want them to meet a cross-party delegation of councillors from the area.

Yesterday there was welcome news, which was long overdue, that the Government would ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The point was made here today that, whatever about the Government and the political system accepting the need for change, clearly the permanent government of civil servants are not accepting it. The issue here is dealing with children with complex needs. There is no State hospice for children who are dying; the LauraLynn facility is privately funded. We are well behind established best international practice. We are playing catch-up and I find it incredible that the HSE does not include representatives of parents from the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, LauraLynn or the numerous parents' groups in the State. I accept the Cathaoirleach's decision but this will come back next week and hopefully will not go to a vote. I am asking that in the interim, the HSE reverses its decision immediately and includes representatives of the parents in order that it can make sure whatever new arrangements and supports are in place reflect the needs of parents and not what the HSE thinks they are.