Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Not all parents have the time to get elected to the Oireachtas to advocate for their children. They do not have the capacity. They might have multiple children. They might be working several jobs. Those kids, because they do not have parents who can fight and shout for them, are falling through the gaps. When healthcare systems receive pressure from parents, and rightly so, it is the children with the quieter advocates who do not get heard. The consequences of that are often that the sickest children are left behind.

We have to face the reality that these children are being neglected by the State. They are wasting away in pain because of the lack of timely treatment, as has been highlighted. Because our waiting lists are so jam-packed and long, it is the children in the most extreme state who are getting treatment. They have to be more sick and more in pain before they get treatment, and that is just not the way it should be. We all know that. We all recognise that, sitting here and having this discussion.

We need to see the acceptance of this Bill, its correct implementation and, as we heard from Senator Flynn, the correct resourcing that is both ring-fenced and at the right level to address this issue.