Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Bill can pass Second Stage or not. The reality is that we will continue to have assessment delays for children, multiyear waiting lists for therapies and a lack of access to educational supports and appropriate school places. These are profoundly affecting thousands of children. Some areas perform better than others but overall, we know too many children and families are left behind. Therefore, as a goodwill gesture, this Bill should pass Second Stage and be allowed to go through the process. It is a lengthy process anyway for it to pass through the different Stages in both Houses. I encourage Senators to pass Second Stage of the Bill to see whether it can go where it needs to go - to Committee Stage where we can hash out the intricate details - and not to kick it down the road for a year.