Ivana Bacik (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I greatly appreciate her efforts on behalf of the child in the case I have raised with her and I look forward to engaging with her further on that individual case. I stress that the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, has clearly told me it is not within her brief, and that it is a matter for the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, or the Department of Health, so I will engage with Deputy Rabbitte on that.

The Minister of State's answer raises a much broader concern about the huge gap that exists for children. The one line that stood out for me in the response, and I am sure for the Minister of State, was, "At present, there is no national standardised process for the allocation of nursing supports in schools for children with complex needs." That is a serious gap in our provision for children. I am very concerned that movement between Departments and the crossing over of responsibilities may have left children, such as the child in this individual case, to fall through the gaps. It is particularly sad when it appears funding is available but nobody is quite sure which Department is responsible for allocating it. I understand many disability matters are moving to the new Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, and that movement itself, as I understand it from briefings from that Department, means there will be a delay.I am really concerned that children like the child in this particular case may fall between the gaps as different Departments assume different roles and responsibilities. I appeal to the Minister of State to raise with the Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion, Deputy Madigan, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, the need to ensure a co-ordinated joined-up response and in particular to ensure a national standardised process is rolled out for children with complex needs. As the Minister of State said, it cannot be on the basis of the ability of an individual community healthcare organisation to fund such supports or on the fact that a person is in a particular pilot programme area. We all know that is what is happening in practice but it is not good enough for children like the child in this case, who was living in another country where the support was in place. The family were alarmed to discover that there is no standardised package of supports in place here. There really should be for children like this child.