Seán is a 13-year-old from Ringsend who has additional needs. As he has additional needs, he cannot get a place in his local school in his community. That means he cannot access the Irishtown and Ringsend Primary Care Centre and needs to get taxis. Seán needs two extractions and two fillings and, for sensory reasons, he needs to be put asleep while that is being done. The HSE treatment will cover his two extractions while he is asleep but it will not do the two fillings at the same time. That means Seán has to be woken up after the extractions and then put asleep again to do the two fillings. This will cost his family €2,000 because the HSE will not cover both procedures being done at the same time. How does that make sense? Will it be allowed to continue within the HSE? Can the Tánaiste comment on that? Can he ensure this sort of bonkers behaviour is not allowed to continue?

From what the Deputy has told me, it does not make sense, quite frankly, but it is very difficult for me to comment on an individual case. If the Deputy passes the details on to my office, we will look into it and see if something can be done.