Leis an fhocal scoir, an Seanadóir Seery Kearney.

I echo everything that has been said about secretarial assistants and wish everybody a good summer. I am very grateful for the words expressed by Senator Ruane. Likewise, it has been an honour to serve alongside her on the Joint Committee on International Surrogacy and the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. In honour of her words, I will be absolutely blunt in my last contribution here before the House goes into recess.

This morning, I received yet another email from an absolutely distraught parent of a child with a disability. At this point, that parent is in a broken relationship, in a broken life, has a broken heart and has a broken child because the HSE is not supplying the services it is supposed to supply. The HSE is absolutely not recruiting and not supplying nurses. Today, a child sits in her home while needing dressings that respond to her particular disability. She has been left without dressings for several days. This situation has arisen but not for the want of the work done by the fantastic Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Rabbitte. I am not criticising the Minister of State because I think that she is a saint, and her office is incredibly responsive. However, we have people who do not prioritise children, allow children to languish without supports and cause devastation in families.

Hear, hear.

I regret that we are going into recess because I am terrified these situations will continue without our voices in here and people being able to daily apply pressure. By God, I promise that on our return in September, I will talk about this issue on a daily basis because I am tired of sitting in kitchens with broken women who are doing everything they can for their children. It enough that the hearts of these women are broken at the loss of opportunity, life and living life to the best that is ahead of their children but they must fight all day and every day to get the most basic of services.

It is not good enough.

Hear, hear.

I want a task force headed up by the Department of Health.

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Sheanadóir.

I am sorry but this is too important. We cannot trust the HSE. Its representatives have come before committee after committee. We are dealing with recruitment but that is no use to this child today or the many other children who are affected.

Hear, hear.

It is time to deal with the issue. This House needs to start impassioning a task force to get to the bottom of this as a matter of urgency.

Go raibh míle maith agat, a Sheanadóir. Well done. You clearly feel strongly on this issue. I ask the Deputy Leader to be brief in responding to the Order of Business as we have time issues.