John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Five minutes is more than enough. I would just like to make a couple of points, my remarks will be brief. I spoke to some parents yesterday in preparation for and anticipation of this debate, to get a fuller sense of some of the issues they are facing. I will talk about some of the issues today. The common theme I got from a number of parents yesterday is, essentially, that every single child is unique and different, as we all are, with their own personalities, wants and needs. At times we have a tendency to take a one-size-fits-all approach. Perhaps this is not the right approach, even at the best of times. Every child must be assessed as an individual, based on his or her own individual needs. I spoke with a wonderful parent yesterday who told me that there needs to be a child-led, progressive plan, and not looking at one disability and saying they all fit under one umbrella. This is the biggest issue, and one on which I believe we can all agree. The children may have the same disability on paper, which places them under that umbrella, but every child is completely different and every one has his or her own personality and unique way.

The second of my three points is that early intervention is crucial. The sooner one can start working with the child the better the outcome for the child and the family. Currently, however, there may be a two- or three-year waiting list to get that first initial assessment. While I do not want to use the word "damaging", those three years can be strain on families, a time which could be used to make life better for them. The parent I spoke with suggested that after the initial assessment there should be a follow-up assessment six month's later and then ongoing assessments, as the needs of young children can change dramatically in that period.

A professional in the sector from my own county of Louth, has told me that one of the biggest issues they faced in recent months was the number of highly experienced service providers such as occupational therapist and physiotherapists who were brought over to work in contact tracing for Covid-19. While that might have been acceptable at the start of the pandemic it is not acceptable now. We should be moving those highly qualified people back to do the jobs they are trained to do. We can train up new people for contact tracing to carry out that important task.

I also spoke with a parent from north Louth, right on the Border. My colleague there, Senator Erin McGreehan, will agree with me when I speak of the distances involved. If a family are from Omeath, for example, or from somewhere along the Border area, the nearest autism spectrum disorder unit is a 25 minute drive to Bellurgan National School, which only has between six to nine places. The next nearest drive is to Réalt Na Mara National School in Dundalk. If a family lives anywhere along the Border region in north Louth they would travel a considerable distance to get to the next unit. At some stage in the near future I would love to see a focused increase in providing more ASD units in rural areas such as in the parts of County Louth I have mentioned.It is also worthwhile to consider making sure carers are given the same allowances for PRSI as a person actively working in the community. In many situations people give up full-time or professional careers to become full-time carers, and they should be treated in the same way and are entitled to do so with the same financial supports.

Finally, I was delighted to be put in touch with a lady from County Meath yesterday, Tracy Carroll, who some Members of the House may be aware of or have already encountered. She is a tireless advocate for children with disabilities. After giving birth, Tracy was sent home with Willow and, essentially, palliative care. It was said it was extremely unlikely that Willow would survive the following two weeks. Willow is now two years of age. While she requires 24-hour care and attention, it is an example of the type of care that must be included. One can see the innocence of things through the eyes of children. Willow has a four-year-old brother, Noah, and he refers to his baby sister as a magic fairy elf. She arrived on 1 December and that is the date in that house when the magic fairy elf comes along. Is it not wonderful that the innocence of a child makes him or her look at it in that way? That really struck me. Children with disabilities deserve their childhood as much as any other child, and we must try to implement that as much as possible.