John Dolan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

On the edition of "Prime Time" broadcast on 10 April, a story was told about a young boy named Adam King, who is less than four years of age. His mother outlined his wheelchair needs. He is one of 53 children and 207 adults in this position in the Cork-Kerry region alone but I revert to the story about Adam because what appals me and is really serious is that at the end of that programme, the HSE was able to confirm that his wheelchair needs had been met, yet they had not been met in the previous month or six months or whenever. This is a child younger than four, who we were told also had the potential for scoliosis.

In recent weeks, when Ms Vera Twomey was again in the media talking about the cost of treatment for her daughter, we miraculously were told that the health services could pay it. Must every mother and person with a disability prostrate themselves in front of our national media to get something sorted out? This is an issue for our public bodies, the HSE and the Department, as well as for Members. They come up with answers when they are put to the pin of their collars and embarrassed publically. That is no way for any state to run public services. While we cannot magic money out of the air, a child of three or four - who thankfully has the possibility of going on to get a decent education - does not have the equivalent of a pair of shoes that fit. That was an issue for a lot of people who went to school in their bare feet 60 or 70 years ago. We are not able to deliver that.

I will conclude by noting that two days from now, 19 April, will be the 30th day since the Tánaiste lodged the papers for the commencement of Ireland's implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These are the issues that must be acted on fairly rapidly and now is the time. I have written to the Taoiseach on this, and in this House and elsewhere I have commended him on catching that issue by the scruff of the neck and getting it ratified after 11 years. Together with all his Cabinet, he must now publically state this is a big-ticket item in Ireland and we are four-square behind it.That is the challenge for the Government. The challenge for the rest of us is to support it.