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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Disability assessments ruling

Summary

Deputy Ward returned to the High Court ruling on children’s disability assessments and criticised the Government’s stance on a Sinn Féin motion. The Taoiseach said the question had already been answered, confirmed acceptance of the ruling, and reiterated commitment to implementing the Act.

Last night, Sinn Féin brought forward a motion that aims to protect children with disabilities. The Government did not oppose this motion. This is a tactic that the Government has been using for a lot of Sinn Féin motions. It will not oppose but it also will not support simply because it does not want to publicly vote against services for children with disabilities. The recent High Court ruling found that the HSE was in breach of the law by not providing children with disabilities with a comprehensive assessment of needs within the statutory six-month timeframe. Does the Taoiseach accept that this breach of law happened under his watch? Who will be held accountable? Can the Taoiseach give a guarantee that the Government will implement all of the actions in the Sinn Féin motion that it did not oppose last night?

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You are fairly adept yourselves at tactical manoeuvres, but we will not comment on that. I answered the question earlier when Deputy Cullinane raised it.

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It is a different question.

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The Taoiseach is talking to a different person.

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It is the same question; it is the same issue. We have accepted the High Court decision. We brought in the Act, actually, and we are very committed to implementing it.

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