Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for outlining that. However, the issue at hand is the length of waiting times. The Minister of State said that investment has been made, and that is most welcome. She mentioned colleagues. I am sure her colleagues in this House today and throughout county Kildare and the State will be aware of the issues being raised in our offices and the problems people are facing. People are at the end of their tether. Aileen and her family have mentioned sleep deprivation. That issue is replicated in the cases of many others I am aware of at the moment.

The Minister of State mentioned the assessments of need and the reduction of waiting times for them. I received an email over the weekend from a person in Dublin, who told me they had received a letter in January telling them that the waiting time for such an assessment is 36 months. If the Minister of State is telling us today that waiting times for these assessments are to be reduced, I would appreciate it if the HSE could send new letters out to those affected. They received letters in January telling them there was a 36-month waiting list. The Minister of State has told us today that waiting list will be reduced over the next few months. If new letters were issued to the families affected, it would help them and, most importantly, the children.