On Tuesday, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality announced that there is to be a complete overhaul of the assessment-of-need process, which, we can all agree, is absolutely not working. Some 18,000 young children are on the waiting list. That is evidence of how ineffective the system is. The announcement was made with no consultation with education staff and there is little or no detail for either education or clinical staff. The timing of the announcement coincided with research from Dublin City University, DCU, on education provider burnout. It comes at a time when parents are still fighting to get an appropriate school place for their children and for assessments of need. Even if they get them, they are then fighting to get the services they are supposed to get. These children are without services, supports and appropriate school places. They are not thriving. They are basically surviving. What the announcement has done is put fear and frustration in the hearts and minds of school staff, parents and children. What the children deserve is support, respect and an appropriate education. Will the Minister tell me how that will be achieved and guaranteed?

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I speak to it not only as the Minister deputising today but as a parent and teacher. The Minister, Deputy Foley, raised the matter at Cabinet and spoke publicly to the media about it. I reiterate that as a Government, we must ensure that the needs of children are identified at an early stage and that they receive supports to meet those needs, whatever they are. There may be a need for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or another service. The Minister brought proposals to Cabinet this week. They will be fleshed out. There will be consultation and an opportunity for people to engage. I will raise the points made by the Deputy with the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins. We are as anxious as anybody else that this is resolved. Many of us are parents of young children and have worked in schools.

I do not think anyone has a monopoly on this and we want to try to make sure we get it sorted. It will not be for want of effort on the part of the Government.