Today, on International Children's Day, I am sure the Taoiseach will agree that it represents a sad indictment of Government policy that up to 4,000 children in Ireland are homeless. It is interesting that back in 2011, that figure was at 184. These children feel isolated and anxious and they crave the security of their own home. Those in hotels cannot even have their food cooked for them and, as the House will be aware, have to travel long distances to their schools.

Children with special needs in Ireland today are waiting far too long for an assessment of need, which is their legal entitlement. Some 4,000 children are overdue an assessment under the Disability Act. Access to therapists for children, which we know is key to early intervention and the full realisation of the potential of the child, is at an unacceptable level. We know speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists can do an enormous amount to help children with special needs in particular, yet there are thousands on the speech and language waiting lists, covering assessment, initial treatment and further treatment, and thousands awaiting their first assessment for occupational therapy. We know the impact an occupational therapist can have on a child with dyspraxia, for example, and on the parents also in terms of facilitating the progress of that child. We do not have a comprehensive early education programme for the youngest of children aged from one to four - we simply do not have it. We do not have access in any shape or form to multidisciplinary professionals for children with special needs aged between one and six.

Too many children, some 4,000, are waiting for inpatient hospital treatment across the three Dublin children's hospitals and over 10,500 are waiting for outpatient appointments. We know those delays compromise a child's health and have long-term repercussions. Some 18,000 are waiting for orthodontic treatment, with 7,500 children waiting over two years for an appointment with an orthodontist. In mental health, over 300 children are waiting over a year for access to child and adolescent mental health services and 1,600 are waiting more than a year for psychology appointments. In our education system, NEPS is hopelessly understaffed.

Children in difficulty or with complex needs in this country are simply not prioritised to the degree they should be. That is a fact. We have all met parents of children with special needs. They have far too many hurdles to jump and too many battles to fight on behalf of their children, particularly in regard to health and education. This is about priorities. Children should not have to wait so long for a house, for assessments or for vital intervention services. Does the Taoiseach accept the Government is failing these homeless children, children with special needs and children with mental health difficulties, and that far more needs to be done to alleviate these pressures?

Today is International Children's Day, as Deputy Micheál Martin said. Therefore, it is only fair to recognise the progress we have made in recent years, not just the shortcomings. While it is right to acknowledge the shortcomings, it is wrong to ignore all the progress that has been made in recent years and in the last year.

I will give some examples. Real progress has been made in terms of educational outcomes for our children. Education is the great leveller and we see real improvements in outcomes for children in education, particularly around reading and maths. That is down to the excellent work in our schools but also down to the correct policies being pursued by Government and investment by Government over the last couple of years. We have the lowest pupil-teacher ratio ever in primary schools this year for the kids attending those schools. There is huge investment in special needs assistants, meaning there are more special needs assistants in our schools than ever before, recognising the enormous needs of children and the fact we need to make sure children with special educational needs get additional support. There is also investment in preschool. For the first time, all children are guaranteed two years of free preschool. We know those early, formative years are the most important years in terms of determining how well kids do in life, which is why we have been so committed to expanding free preschool.

In the area of health, the national children's hospital is at long last under construction. That will be the mainstay for improvements to paediatric care across the country, including a new paediatric unit planned for Cork, which Deputy Micheál Martin will be aware of, and, as the first element of that, the new satellite centre at Blanchardstown is almost complete. Free GP care has been extended so more children are able to attend their doctor or primary care physician without their parents having to pay.

It has been extended to all children under six years and in recent years to 40,000 children with severe disabilities who when Fianna Fáil was in government might not have been granted a medical card because of their parents' income and would have faced regular reviews. We have taken all of that away and guaranteed as of right that all children with severe disabilities will receive a medical card, regardless of their parents' income.

There will be a €1 billion investment next year in mental health services. If spent well, properly and efficiently, it will bring about real improvements in child and adult mental health services, CAMHS, particularly with the hiring of the socio-psychologist.

There has also been big investment in childcare services in the past year. On mandatory reporting which has been long promised and which some people said would never become a reality, mandatory reporting of child abuse is now a reality. The change has worked well because we had prepared for it and ensured Tusla was ready for it. We have introduced universal subsidies for childcare which are paid to all parents of children aged between six months and three years without a mean test. As announced in the recent budget, the affordable childcare scheme has been expanded. As a result, low income families will receive more subsidies towards the cost of their childcare schemes, while more middle income families will qualify. Next year middle income families earning up to €100,000 will qualify for affordable childcare services.

The Deputy is right to point out that there many shortcomings and that there is a lot of work still to be done in improving the lives of children in Ireland, but it would be wrong not to acknowledge also the enormous progress made in recent years.

Being homeless is not a shortcoming. It is a devastating experience for a child, not a shortcoming. Being the parent a three year old child who has yet to be assessed by an autism panel is not a shortcoming; it is a terrible, devastating position in which to be. Being the parent of a young child with severe mental health difficulties and not being able to access services is not a shortcoming; it is a terrible situation for the mother and the child. These are the living realities and experiences of many families throughout the country. On International Children's Day, these are unacceptable experiences that too many children in this country are experiencing in the realm of special needs. The lack of access to physiotherapists and speech, language and occupational therapists compromises forever a child's potential. The inertia and lack of action in providing access to therapists are unbelievable, while the waiting lists are too lengthy. In referring to these failings as shortcomings the Taoiseach displays a remarkable detachment from the hard reality of families' lives across the country. Instead of the glossy brochures and the fancy launches, it is time that we got to grips with the real issues that affect too many families. They represent a very sad indictment of Government policy to date in dealing with these issues.

They are shortcomings, but they are also terrible situations and failings. I do not think we should play with words in dealing with these issues. I would prefer if the Deputy offered solutions, rather than that sort of glib rhetoric.

I have offered them.

Whether something is a shortcoming or a failing should not be a matter for debate. We all acknowledge that these are terrible situations which people are in.

With reference to children in emergency accommodation, the solution is housing supply. This year 8,000 additional homes will be added to the social housing stock, more than half of which were built by local authorities and housing associations, with the others being acquired or leased. Eight thousand is a big increase on the figures for previous years and 10,000 will be delivered next year. We are also expanding the family hub programme which I know is not an alternative to a home, but we do know that families who spend time in family hubs tend to spend less than six months in them and tend to move on much quicker than those who are in hotels.

I do not know about that.

There is also big investment in the provision of permanent housing and family hubs. Deputy Micheál Martin will also be aware of what we are doing in the provision of speech and language therapy. We are trying to change the model because we know that providing additional money and staff has not worked when it comes to therapies. We are trying to change the model by investing in speech and language therapy services in schools to see if it works differently and better, provides quicker access and gives children the support they need.

As I said, I have no difficulty acknowledging there are terrible situations and failings. I am also giving Deputy Martin the solutions and examples of the enormous progress that has been made in education, health and childcare in recent years. I am sorry that on International Children's Day he cannot even bring himself to acknowledge any of this.