I want to ask the Tánaiste about the Government's commitment to what it calls reform of the public service, and particularly of the health services. His use of the word "reform" is beginning to gain Orwellian characteristics in that it seems to mean the very opposite of what it suggests, that is, savage cuts being imposed on front line services and on some of the most vulnerable sectors of society. I would like the Tánaiste to prove me wrong on that point. More important, a group of parents and their children who are in the Gallery would like the Tánaiste to disprove that assertion.

Are their leaders with Deputy Boyd Barrett?

They are the parents of children with severe intellectual disabilities from our constituency in Dún Laoghaire. They have found out in the past few weeks that respite services provided in Dunmore House, part of Carmona Services, are being slashed. What was previously a 24-7 respite service is proposed to be watered down to a fraction of the service that it previously was such that, for example, one mother who had an allocation of two days a week and one weekend per month of respite will now only have one day a month and one weekend every two months. Another mother told me that if these cuts go ahead, she will have to cancel an important medical procedure next week as she will have no one to mind her child on the day of her appointment.

I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett.

This is the extent of these brutal cuts, what the Tánaiste calls "reform". These result from cuts in funding by the HSE to these services and the public sector recruitment moratorium. Simply, will you tell me and, more important, tell the parents in the Gallery and the others who are users of this service and their children-----

The Deputy should address his comments through the Chair.

-----that you will reverse these cuts, that these services will not be touched and that you will honour your commitment to protect the most vulnerable in society, particularly vulnerable children and their families?

Carmona Services and Dunmore House is a very well run facility in the constituency Deputy Boyd Barrett and I share. They have been offering a seven day, 24 hour respite service for children with an intellectual disability. All agencies, including St. John of God's, which runs Carmona, have been asked to look at efficiencies in how they run these services.

The management at Carmona looked at the seven day, 24 hour respite service and found that they were not operating it at full capacity between Monday and Thursday. Therefore, it was decided that the service would open until 6.30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and 24 hours from Friday to Sunday, and that it would still respond to emergencies.

There is a group of parents who are affected by this decision. The management of Carmona Services have offered to meet the parents concerned and to resolve the difficulties that are arising. That offer of a meeting with the management of the service has not been taken up to date. That meeting should proceed. Deputy Boyd Barrett should encourage the parents concerned to meet the management of the service. That is a more productive way of solving what is a real problem than coming in here and seeking to make a political football out of it.

The reason I have brought this issue in here is because 16 parents came into my clinic on Monday looking for help. I did not raise the issue; they did. What they want from the Tánaiste is an assurance that these cuts will be reversed - if it is necessary to lift the public sector recruitment embargo in order to provide the services as they have been, that he should do that - and for him to state here clearly and publicly that he will provide the resources and staff to maintain the Angel's Quest Respite Service for 140 families and their children.

If the Tánaiste does not do that, it makes a mockery of all the Government's talk of reform of the health services and all of his talk of commitment to protecting children's rights in the forthcoming referendum. What good is a commitment to children's rights and to protecting children if the Government is slashing the services to the most vulnerable children and their families in the State?

I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett.

By the way, the parents are quite willing to meet the management of Carmona Services, and will meet them. What they need from the Tánaiste and from the Government is a commitment that the staffing and resources will be provided in order to maintain the Angel's Quest 24-7 respite service for these people who desperately need it and whose lives will be devastated if these cuts go ahead. Would the Tánaiste please give them that assurance?

Sorry, please. That is not authorised in the Chamber.

The Tánaiste should answer the question and give the commitment.

My primary concern in this issue is to ensure that the best service is provided. That is why I believe that the best way to deal with this issue is for the meeting, which the management of the services has offered, to go ahead.

The reason Deputy Boyd Barrett raises this issue is to make a political football out of it.

That is not true.

I say that-----

Let the Tánaiste reply.

Excuse me. Would Deputy Boyd Barrett mind allowing the Tánaiste to reply?

They bundled up the services at St. Michael's House.

The Tánaiste is entitled to reply.

The reason I say that is that I have in my hand an e-mail which was sent by one of those associated with Deputy Boyd Barrett on this matter, and it reads as follows:

Unfortunately, management had not contacted the group on Monday and it was, therefore, too late to call off the Dáil Éireann Leaders' Questions programme which is going ahead on Thursday.

It goes on to refer to discussions with Deputy Boyd Barrett and with Sinn Féin. Then it states:

Given the service reduction is taking place in Eamon Gilmore's back yard, the group cannot guarantee that political opportunity will not spill over into the subject of the children's referendum [to which Deputy Boyd Barrett has now referred] on top of the opportunity to add further adverse publicity upon James Reilly and Eamon Gilmore's lack of a suitable response.

Now we know where the Deputy is coming from. He is point scoring.

That e-mail has nothing to do with me.

The House is entitled to a suitable response.

Please, Deputies, the Tánaiste is entitled to reply.

This is dreadful.

I ask Deputy Mattie McGrath to mind his own business.

This is my business; it is everyone's business.

This is Leader's Questions time and this is not Deputy Mattie McGrath's question.

The difference between me and Deputy Boyd Barrett is that when I am notified of a problem, I try to resolve it but when he is notified of a problem, he tries to exploit it for political advantage. It is rank political opportunism.

The Tánaiste has come full circle.

This is disgraceful.

Deputy Boyd Barrett should be ashamed of himself.

We will move on to the Order of Business.

On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle.

I ask Deputy Finian McGrath to resume his seat.

This is totally unfair to the parents of children with disabilities. The Tánaiste is out of order and is misleading the House.

Again, I ask the Deputy to resume his seat. This is none of his business.

It is my business.

It is everyone's business.

Why does Deputy Mattie McGrath have to join in all of the time?

He might be on the front page as the playboy of the western world.