I also wish to express solidarity with the families of the Stardust 48 and the communities of Kilmore, Artane and Coolock, where I grew up as a child.

I want to raise the issue of children's developmental health checks. I raised this issue on several occasions last year with regard to the Curlew Road and Old County Road primary care centres. I have recently been informed that the same problem exists at the centres in Islandbridge and it continues at Curlew Road. A lack of public health nurses is stopping children's developmental checks from taking place. I was told this was a temporary issue when I raised it but it appears not only was it not temporary, but it is getting worse and is affecting the whole of the Dublin 8, 10 and 12 areas. I know three-month and ten-month checks are affected. A constituent contacted me to say their child had received no ten-month check and no 24-month check, and was eventually told the service might be lucky to have staff in place by their child's four-year check. At Curlew Road, the parent of a one-year-old child is also waiting. Can parents across the Dublin 8 and 12 areas expect the Government to put the staff in place to resume early childhood development checks? No child should be without those checks.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important question and I acknowledge that she has raised it several times before. There is an issue with the recruitment of public health nurses in that particular area. The Department and the HSE are giving this their utmost attention. It is not a funding issue or a moratorium issue; it is due to a lack of public health nurses for that area. I will bring the Deputy’s concerns back again to see if we can expedite something. I agree with the Deputy that these developmental checks are very important, especially for new mothers and their babies. I will revert to the Deputy in due course.