I raise an issue today with the Tánaiste and perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who is present, may be in a better position to answer this question. It relates to the progressing disability services for children and young people. A number of families in my constituency and outside it have raised the lack of services with me. These families have children with Down’s syndrome. They have painted a very stark picture in respect of the interventions they were meant to receive. The Minister of State will be aware that these children have not got those interventions for the past couple of years. These are the basic services required for any child’s development. I refer to speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. If we cannot provide for the most vulnerable children, then there is something very wrong not only with the Government but also with the whole system.

I thank the Deputy for asking that question. For the past two years the Government has provided way more the amount of money required. We have been extremely successful in our budgets. The Deputy is correct in that the progressing disability services for children and young people, in its current format, is not meeting the needs of children. That is why I am engaging with parent forums. I have travelled around the country to hear about what is happening first-hand and to try to understand how exactly we can break down the barriers in order that the money gets directly to the children and that services are delivered. I plan to continue doing this over the next six months. It is a direct intervention by me. I am asking and pleading with the HSE to join me in engaging with these forums and to be part of the solution in understanding where the barriers lie.