Marie Sherlock (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Last week I read into the record the names of 19 artists’ studios that closed in this city over the past decade. Today another name is being added to that list. I am really saddened that artists at Richmond Road Studios are effectively being shut out of their place of work and creativity as of today. We need to hear from the responsible Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, about what she intends to do about the wider issue of the hollowing out of artists’ spaces across the city.

The report on special needs education, published this week by the Ombudsman for Children, is very important and must be a wake-up call for the whole Government. The lack of planning by the Department of Education and of joined-up thinking between the Departments of Education and Health are simply terrifying. They are terrifying because we know that weeks, months and a few short years matter in the lives of children, particularly those with additional educational needs. What is particularly terrifying is the waiting time for a diagnosis. In Dublin 7, the local children’s disability network team has a waiting time of up to three years, or more, just to access a diagnosis. That is before access to treatments and therapies. Getting a diagnosis is the gateway to so many additional educational supports. The recommendation in the ombudsman’s report is really important in that there have to be other gateways to supports.

Waiting lists are because of huge shortages within the health system in respect of therapists and those who can provide diagnostic services. I call again for the Minister for Health to come to this House to set out in detail his workforce plans. Throughout the country there is a massive shortage and a huge crisis with regard to recruitment in the health service. We have not heard detail from the Minister on how he is going to address the problem.