Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister of State's bona fides on this and welcome the fact that she is telling us about expanded services for ADHD sufferers. I particularly welcome her acknowledgement of those in the 16 to 18 age cohort. They are still children. Many of them are still in school while some of them are going to college and it is really important to support them. I hope she will do that. This was brought to my attention by a young councillor in my area, Councillor Dan Carson, who is newly-elected in Blackrock, and by Ms Emma Weld-Moore who heads up Neurodiversity Blackrock which is part of Neurodiversity Ireland, an organisation that does so much good work for children, young people and adults afflicted by a condition that is treatable. The Minister of State has acknowledged that and I appreciate what she has said. Maybe we could bring this in on a means-tested basis or just for that 16 to 18 cohort. Let us do that first and then expand it because it is entirely worthwhile from the point of view of the State and wider society, but particularly for the people who benefit from it. It is entirely worthwhile to put this in place so that we do not lose out and they do not lose out. They have so much to give and we are just disadvantaging them and losing out as a country.