I want to highlight the plight of carers of people with physical and mental disabilities. Elderly parents who are caring for their grown-up children have no access to day care centres or respite. It is the same for carers of people with Alzheimer's disease. The Rockmount centre in my own town of Kilgarvan, a wonderful facility caring for people with that disease, is closed. These carers are strangled, torn and worn. They have no respite and no day care centres to help them care for their loved ones. I am asking the Government to do something for these people, who are the worst hit by this crisis in our communities.

On the same issue, parents of children with disabilities are pleading for some services to reopen. In west Cork, parents were asked to seek out local hubs and many of them have found suitable buildings, including one in my own community in Schull. No matter how they try, however, they cannot get the doors open to take these young children. I have tried to speak to the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, several times this week to explain this issue but it has not worked out. These parents and children deserve better. Will the Tánaiste ensure that the hubs can open?

I would like to raise the issue of personal assistant hours for people with disabilities. I have been dealing with a gentleman, Liam Mulcahy, who lives in Ennis. Liam is classed as one of the lucky ones as he has independent living in a council house, but he requires full-time care and assistance to ensure that can continue. He has been assessed and told he needs more hours but he will have to wait until January before he receives them. I would like to know why he has to wait for six months. It is far too long and it is not good enough.

I want to raise the same issue. Yesterday, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, met the Enough is Enough group, which is campaigning for services for adults and children with disabilities. It was very moving to hear from families who have really been affected by the strain and stress of the past few months. Many of them feel they have had no support. I know the Minister of State is going to work with them, and it is important that she does, but there are more than 5,000 cases today of children waiting for tests for autism. That is unacceptable in 2020. The average waiting time for those tests is 19 months, despite a statutory requirement that they be provided within six months. These difficulties may be further compounded by the delays resulting from Covid-19. I ask that this be looked at and dealt with because these people cannot wait any longer and are having to deal with many difficulties.

We are very keen to see disability services reopening as soon as possible. We want it to be done in a way that is safe for the staff and the service users.

Many families are now at their wits' end. This has gone on for so long, since the pandemic started in March. In some cases, service users are regressing and going backwards, which is a matter of worry and concern for all of us. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has informed me that adult day services will gradually resume throughout August and service providers are working to get day services ready to reopen safely, in line with public health guidance. Service providers have been getting in touch with all families and service users during July to discuss when they can expect the resumption of their service and what that service will consist of. An information portal has been established, which will include the dates on which the 1,000 or so different service locations will reopen. After 4 August, service users and families will be able to access this information on www.hse.ie/newdirections.