Robbie Gallagher
Labour Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I want to raise an issue that I feel is having a very detrimental and suffocating effect on rural Ireland. This is the declining number of taxis available. It is so bad now that it is causing an economic bottleneck and, in my opinion, is also acting as a social barrier.”
“This is killing the night-time economy especially. People would like to go out and socialise, which we would like to see, and go out for a bite to eat or a few drinks or whatever. It is important that we encourage this type of behaviour.”
“I join others in thanking all of the staff in the campus of Leinster House for their hospitality and the manner in which they look after us all year in, year out. I say to all of my colleagues in the Chamber that I enjoy their company, perhaps not all of the time but most of the time I am glad to say.”
“I too would like to raise the urgent case of the approximately 200 people in this country who are living with Friedreich's ataxia. It is a rare and progressive condition that gradually takes away a person's mobility and independence. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition but there is hope.”
“Unfortunately, they had to turn around and head home without getting that news. Ten other EU countries have already made this treatment available but Ireland continues to wait while this progressive condition for those who have it continues.”
“I will raise an issue that affects thousands of people in this country but, in my opinion, does not get the attention it deserves. That is the shockingly poor return Irish people are getting on their savings in Irish banks.”
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“I welcome the Minister and his officials back to the House to discuss this very important legislation which the Minister is proposing to introduce. From a Fianna Fáil perspective, I welcome this debate and support this Bill. As we know, it is not always possible to get criminal convictions against criminals who are destroying our communities. However, we can bring them before the civil courts and seize the assets they have secured through criminal activity. These proceeds of crime should be taken from them and invested in the communities they are trying to destroy. In the EU, estimated annual criminal revenues amount to €110 billion. This is equivalent to 1% of the EU's gross domestic product, GDP. In Ireland, the value of crime markets is €1.7 billion per annum, which is a staggering amount of money.”
“I thank all of those volunteers who do such excellent work on behalf of us all. I particularly thank Linda Moore, who does excellent work for that organisation and who was recently voted Volunteer of the Year. I thank them all.”
“The Irish Blood Transfusion Service is appealing for blood donations as stocks are at a very low level. It normally aims to have a seven-day supply at all times. However, most blood groups are significantly below that level with the group O positive at its lowest level this year. Donating blood is one of the most important things any of us can do. I appeal to everyone who can to please consider donating blood today. A number of clinics are being held in County Monaghan this month. There are clinics in the Iontas centre in Castleblayney on 27 April and 28 April from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Nuremore Hotel in Carrickmacross on 29 April and 30 April from 11.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and in the Riverbank Hotel, Killanny on 29 April and 30 April from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. I also commend Cú Chulainn Blood Bikes, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive response. I fully accept that he is taking this on behalf of the Minister. I welcome that he is bringing complete clarity to the situation so that if someone feels their home is going to be flooded, the first call they should make is to the local authority. It is the local authority that decides – I am assuming based on the gravity of the situation - what the next step in that process will be. I welcome the clarity the Minister of State has brought. It is important the message goes out there that, in an emergency, people are very clear as to who to call.”
“This particular instance in the north west of the country was a very frightening experience for the people concerned, and when they rang up and were told that, they felt totally isolated in that they had nobody to call. It is vital that our citizens and communities know who to call in the event of an emergency and they should expect to get a response when they do make that call.”
“It is important we give complete clarity on that because, as the Minister of State knows, it is a very stressful situation when you see water levels rising and you know it is only a matter of time before your house is flooded. You need to be able to pick up the phone and speak to somebody. There appears to be a level of confusion as to who that first phone call should be made to. I am talking about responses regarding fires, storms and heavy rainfall. It is only proper that each time we talk about that, we talk about the response our emergency services give in situations like that, be it a local authority, the fire services, the ESB crews who go out to try to restore services or phone crews who go out to try to repair lines. Everybody puts their shoulder to the wheel.”
“However, I was contacted about an event recently in the north west of the country where homeowners feared their houses were going to be flooded, and with good reason. They contacted the fire services only to be told that, unfortunately, the fire brigade had no responsibility when it came to a non-risk-of-life situation, which that would have been, to be fair. I fully understand the fire brigade is a first responder and must be available at all times, not just for fires but for many other incidents, including cardiac arrest and many other emergencies. However, when people fear their homes are going to be flooded, who are they meant to call?”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O’Donnell, chuig an Teach seo inniu. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this afternoon, and I thank him for taking time out to be here. As the Minister of State is well aware, floods have brought havoc to many parts of our country. Unfortunately, these are no longer rare or isolated events and with climate change being what it is, they are going to increase with the passage of time. In an instance like that, when floods are potentially going to affect homes, they can be devastating for many families. It is natural that in such circumstances, when people fear that their homes are going to be flooded and when they call the emergency services, they should get a response, which is exactly what happens 99% of the time.”
“I am happy to fully agree to the proposal before us, which has already been passed by the Dáil. The scheme has served a purpose, but it is time that we phase it out in an orderly fashion, as the Minister of State indicated. I again thank all those who have properties that they would not ordinarily rent out in the private housing market for coming forward and offering up their homes and rooms in their houses at a time of need for Ukrainian people. We can be very proud of our contribution in that regard.”
“At its peak, there were in the region of 120,000 or 121,000 Ukrainians here. That has decreased to something around 80,000. It is important to note the breakdown of that number. Of the 80,000 who are currently here, over 30,000 are in employment. Another 30,000 comprise children and young people. The balance is made up of the elderly, people in care or those in full-time education. In fairness to the Ukrainian people, they have rolled up their sleeves. They have helped by getting themselves jobs, and they are of benefit to the economy. Most people would agree that in a situation where people are working and have an income coming in, it is only fair that they would pay their way. Most of the Ukrainian people I have spoken to have no issue whatsoever with that.”
“Unfortunately, we are now entering the fourth year of the war and it is more important than ever that we continue to stress our steadfast support for the people of Ukraine in their attempt to try to find a sustainable peace in their country. In relation to the matter before us, namely, the reduction and phasing out of the ARP scheme in a phased and orderly fashion, as the Minister of State said, it is an matter I very much support. At the time it was mentioned there would be issues in regard to the private rental market and I think the Government has recognised that. Having said that, I was interested in the fact that the Minister of State referred to a survey carried out by the Red Cross which indicated that 91% of those who got involved in the scheme were not landlords. The scheme has served a purpose.”
“I welcome the Minister of State back to the House, along with his officials. I thank him for outlining the detail of the ARP scheme, the continuation of it and the phasing out of it completely over the next year or so. As a country and as a people, we can be very proud of our response to the Ukrainian community when they fled here during the illegal invasion of their country by Russia. It was an emergency situation that required an emergency response. The Irish people and the Government can be very proud of how they responded to the Ukrainian people who fled to our country seeking shelter. It is very important we make that point.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2026, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 23rd February, 2026.”
“I would be extremely grateful if the Minister of State would take back the concerns of many, including many in her own community, about this issue. Not having these batteries could be the difference between saving someone's life or not.”
“I appreciate the Minister of State is taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and this is not her line of responsibility. I think the response is deeply worrying in that it states the Minister is not aware of any disruption. That highlights exactly what our problem is here. I have had community groups on to me, volunteers who are deeply worried. They are checking these things in their own time and telling me they have no batteries and cannot get any. Apparently they are coming from the United States. The company involved has a base in Europe and no one can seem to get in contact with anybody in relation to this. The fact that the Minister for Health is not aware of it is deeply worrying and highlights the problem we have.”
“The problem I have is that for such an important issue, no one seems to be in charge. It is up to local volunteers, many of whom work and have families and busy lives, to check if batteries are in order and so on. They are then confused about who to go to. The problem is we have loads of these machines with no batteries, which effectively means we have nothing. Someone needs to take charge.”
“Someone needs to take control of this particular issue. We need to put in place a clear, structured and fully resourced strategy within the Department to ensure the oversight of AEDs is available and not solely left to volunteers. Someone needs to take charge of it. While community efforts have been invaluable, it is not sustainable, appropriate or fair to rely on goodwill when lives depend on these services. AEDs must be consistently accessible, visible and, more important, fully operational at all times. Proper systems and accountability are essential, so the maintenance and monitoring are carried out effectively, helping us to ensure and improve survival rates in emergencies. We have a serious problem as the model in question is the predominant model used in this country. We are talking about saving lives.”
“I understand there is currently a global shortage of defibrillator batteries, which is driven by local supply chain demands and raw materials shortages. This is affecting various models, particularly the HeartSine model, which faces long-term delays. These delays are a serious challenge for workplaces, schools and entire communities which need an automated life-saving external defibrillator, AED. Having a defibrillator in our communities is crucial to ensure that sudden cardiac arrest survivals remain high. Having an AED in our community with no battery is the equivalent of having no AED at all. We have two major issues here. One is that we have a large number of defibrillators located the length and breadth of the country that people cannot get batteries for. The second is that only half of the 9,000 AEDs we have are registered.”
“These have access to 4,500 registered AEDs, although it is registered that there could be as many as 9,000 AED units located across the State. We owe this group of volunteers a huge debt of gratitude for being available 24-7 and attempting to save the lives of their neighbours. Everyone recognises the importance of the availability of AEDs to the survival of victims of heart attacks. They know how critical the first minutes can be and how an AED can both save a life and ensure a better recovery for the patient. The news is that a particular but apparently common model of AED, the HeartSine Samaritan defibrillator, is experiencing a problem with shortage of batteries, a critical component that ensures that AEDs are available if needed to save a life.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The Minister of State is very welcome. For many years, communities across the country have come together to fundraise and install defibrillators, or automated external defibrillators, AEDs, as they are commonly known, for local community centres, sports facilities, schools, workplaces and public places. In some areas, individuals and businesses have sponsored the price of a defibrillator. We are greatly indebted to them all, as I am sure the Minister of State will agree. CFR Ireland is a national umbrella organisation for community first responder groups in Ireland. It is run by 4,000 volunteers organised in almost 350 local groups across the length and breadth of the country.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I welcome the fact that a standing committee is looking at this issue to address the areas where a shortfall in the service exists. It is a very emotional and sensitive time for families and it is important that the State does all it can to ensure that the delay in conducting post-mortems is addressed as a matter of urgency. I am happy that all the relevant stakeholders are getting together to ensure an adequate service is available regardless of which part of the country one hails from.”
“I hope the Minister of State will be able to outline to me what plans the Government has to address the shortage of pathologists, which seems to be very acute in certain parts of the country.”
“I understand there are clear recruitment challenges for the Office of the State Pathologist, with unsuccessful competitions for senior positions, despite increased demand from the criminal justice system. It would appear that we have a problem in certain parts of the country. I fully understand that this is not an issue in many parts of the country, but in some it has become a bigger issue. It is, unfortunately, down to a lack of pathologists able to do the job. It is an issue that needs to be addressed. When families are grieving a loved one, they are in an emotional state to begin with. If there is delay in the family getting the loved one's remains back for the wake and funeral, it adds another layer to a very vulnerable family.”
“They are ordered after a sudden, unexplained, violent or unnatural death. The service is reliant on consultant pathologists, who are employed in hospitals to step in to undertake coroner-directed post mortems, but a growing number of pathologists are opting out of the service for various reasons, including their own hospital workload, which does not allow them the time to opt in, adversarial legal questioning at inquests, and a fee of approximately €320, which has not changed for over 20 years. A critical lack of pathologists nationwide has forced a reliance on locum doctors, some of whom are being flown in from the UK to manage the workload at a substantially higher cost and a higher fee than Irish-based specialists would expect to get for carrying out the procedure.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. He is welcome to the House. I would like to discuss an issue about which a number of grieving families have contacted me recently. It is the delay in their ability to hold the funerals of their loved ones due to a hold-up in carrying out post mortems in a number of counties throughout the country. The problem can become even more acute at weekends and on bank holidays. As I am sure the Minister of State can appreciate, the delays in getting loved ones returned to them add another layer of hardship on families who have just lost loved ones. Several hospitals across the country no longer provide the service due to a shortage of pathologists and the demand of daily diagnostic services. I understand that approximately 6,000 post mortems are carried out annually in this country.”
“I welcome the fact that there is good co-operation between Ireland and the UK, and that the relationship has developed and deepened in recent times under the leadership of the Labour Party in the UK. To sum up, I sincerely hope and firmly believe that this legislation will give us the necessary tools to address this issue. It is an EU issue and, therefore, it is an EU response that is required to address it properly. I have every confidence that the legislation we are discussing today will be successful in that regard.”
“The number of people who have claimed asylum there has sharply risen, with over 110,000 people applying in the year ending June 2025. Small boat arrivals have driven much of the increase and account for almost 40% of claimants. The main purpose of the UK leaving the EU initially was to take control of its own migration policy. Unfortunately, it has not worked out well, and we can see the proof before our very eyes. For those advocating to go it alone, the experience of the UK would not inspire much confidence. When talking about the UK, the Minister of State will know that the majority of our applicants are coming through the UK. I welcome the fact that we now have a good, strong relationship with our nearest neighbour on this issue. I understand that many people are also arriving here and travelling to the UK, so it is a two-way system.”
“Faster processing will mean applicants spend less time in IPAS accommodation and will significantly reduce the cost of the asylum system for the State. Faster decision-making will also mean that successful applicants are granted international protection sooner, and those applicants who are refused can be returned to their countries of origin sooner. For these reasons, both Houses of the Oireachtas voted to opt into the pact. The programme for Government commits to introducing a new International Protection Act to implement the EU migration and asylum pact. Some people are advocating that we should go it alone and do it on our own. If we are looking for evidence to substantiate that, we need only look at our closest neighbour, the UK. It left the EU of its own accord.”
“This legislation will significantly reform Ireland's approach to migration and asylum in line with the EU migration and asylum pact to provide a consistent, fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure in ordinary times, as well as in times of migratory pressure and crisis situations. It will ensure a fair sharing of responsibility through stronger governance of asylum and migration policies and convergent asylum practices across the EU. Having a common system across the EU ensures all applicants for asylum are treated in the same way in every member state, and that there is no incentive to move from one state to another, commonly known as secondary movement, with which we are all familiar here.”
“This legislation will streamline decisions and the returns process, introducing a new border procedure, with a three-month time limit for decisions, appeals and return orders in appropriate cases. The Bill will also create a new second-instance body, a tribunal for asylum and returns appeals, and will allow for fewer oral appeal hearings to make the process more efficient. It will also establish a new chief inspector of asylum border procedures and an independent rights monitor. The Bill is the most comprehensive reform of immigration law in the history of our State and will replace the International Protection Act 2015.”
“Many of the people coming here are coming as essential workers, without whom our health services and many other sectors of our economy would simply collapse. Issues arise when attempting to deal with a large number of applicants in a system that was never designed to handle such demand. Decisions have historically taken far too long in this situation, which benefits no one, as we all agree. This Bill is an attempt to reset the system. It will implement the provisions of the EU migration and asylum pact, the overall objective of which is to have a fair, sustainable and efficient asylum procedure. This will be achieved through convergence in asylum practices across the EU.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, for the work they are doing in this area. I understand they have both introduced new policies and legislative changes to strengthen the system and ensure it is rules-based, efficient and aligned with other EU member states. As others have stated, we need a system that is fair but firm, and that respects both the dignity of the people trying to access better lives for themselves in the EU and the integrity of our borders. I very much welcome this debate and support the Bill. The right to claim asylum is an obligation under EU law. Last year, approximately 125,300 people arrived in this country. Of that figure, 13,000 were applicants for international protection, down 30% on the figure of 18,500 in 2024.”
“We are fortunate to have a very successful family resource in Monaghan in Teach na nDaoine, one in Clones, one in Cavan town and one in Killashandra. I gladly report that one is on its way to Carrickmacross. As outlined by my colleague, the need is very much there. We sincerely hope that they will be successful next time around. We had a very successful meeting today with the Minister, Deputy Foley, where we outlined the case. They did an excellent job of doing so. I am delighted to hear the Minister of State's response this afternoon.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I thank my learned colleague, Senator Joe O'Reilly, for sharing his time on this very important issue for the people of Cootehill. I thank Dr. Fiona O'Hanlon, Claire and Ms Kerry Mullen for their great work in Croílár na Drumlíní in Cootehill. They do an awful lot of volunteer work. They do excellent work for people of Cootehill and, indeed, the wider area. The one thing they are missing is a family resource centre base. They were disappointed the last time out when they were not successful. We are hopeful again that a new stream of funding will be made available in the budget later on in the year when they will have an opportunity to go again.”
“She talked about and referenced the new detailed implementation plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which was launched back in 2023. It had something like 130 recommendations. I note recently in February of this year that 43 new recommendations have been alluded to with extended timeframes for those. What kind of consultation was there in relation to those? How much further are we pushing out the deadlines in relation to those? I thank the Cathaoirleach for his latitude.”
“I have a couple of specific questions in the short time I have left. The Minister mentioned the anti-drone equipment in her contribution. What exactly will that allow us to do? I have a couple of questions in relation to the retention piece, one of which is with regard to the economic climate we are in with full employment and the many different choices people have out there. The recent recruitment for cadetships launched this year and, unfortunately, when we break down the salaries on offer, that is, €26,000 for the first year and €28,000 for the second year, it is still below the minimum wage. We need to and should be doing better in that regard. I would like to get the Minister's comments on that.”
“In relation to the Defence Forces generally, I welcome the fact that we have made some progress with regard to recruitment. Senator Wilson alluded to that fact in his contribution. The figures are encouraging and it is positive but we are coming from a very low base and we have to be realistic in that regard. We have hopefully turned the corner, but we have a long road ahead of us. While I welcome the recent recruitment campaigns, which have been modernised now to new entry development, greater focus has been and needs to be ramped up, if you like, in relation to retention as well. It is good that the Government realises we have a lot of work to do and there are challenges ahead. We need to address those to get our Defence Forces up to the level we need them to be and the quicker we get there, the better.”
“With that come challenges for us in relation to the new reality that exists out there when it comes to the defence of our people and the defence of our land. With that in mind, I would like to make a couple of points that have been brought into stark realisation now by the fact that come July, we will take up the EU Presidency and that will bring challenges to our country and to our Defence Forces generally. As the poet John Donne once said, "No man is an island". No person is an island and when it comes to defence, no country in the world can totally and confidently defend itself 100% without the co-operation of its neighbours and without the co-operation of our EU colleagues as well, and we are no different in that regard. There has to be a certain realisation brought to that point.”
“I was about to say that; the Chair beat me to it. Tá fáilte roimh an Aire ar ais chuig an Teach seo inniu. The Minister is very welcome back to the House this afternoon for this very timely debate in relation to our Defence Forces and the defence of our country. Indeed, I would like to commence where the Minister left off and acknowledge and thank the men and women of the Defence Forces for the fantastic service they give to this country. We are deeply proud that they act on our behalf and I would like to thank them for that service. As the Minister outlined, unfortunately, the world we live in today is a very difficult place. It is a very unpredictable world with the geopolitical situation changing almost on a daily basis.”
“This has been going on for a while - not during the Minister of State's reign, I hasten to add, and I know he is trying to progress it - but when will we have a decision, which I hope will be a positive one, on this issue?”
“I thank the Minister of State very much for his response. I welcome the fact the review is complete and hope we are getting near to the endgame with this. We cannot lose sight of the common-sense approach to all matters, and there is a very common-sense approach to this issue. Nobody is talking about being reckless here. Individuals of 70 years of age and older will have to pass the necessary medicals, have the necessary licence in place and all that. Surely to God we can find a role for those people who are fit, active and want to play a vital role for society by taking children to school and back in the mornings and evenings.”
“Deputy Moynihan is a common-sense Minister of State with a get-up-and-do attitude, so I hope this common sense will be extended to Bus Éireann in order that 70-year-olds who are fully fit, fully licensed and want to do the job can be allowed to do that valuable service.”
“I have been asking that common sense be adopted in Bus Éireann's thinking on this matter. It seems to be possible in other jurisdictions but, unfortunately, that has fallen on deaf ears. I understand that during the Minister of State's time, he has been instrumental in reviewing the situation as regards large coaches, and I understand the medical evidence coming back from that - perhaps he might elaborate on this - was to the effect that for large vehicles, there could be a higher risk. However, the same argument applies for Bus Éireann-operated services and private-operated services. Surely for smaller vehicles, there would be less risk. If we allowed those people to do that, they would provide an invaluable service where we are short on drivers.”
“Surely the same medical assessment carried out by Bus Éireann for a 69-year-old who is then subsequently deemed fit to drive could be authorised for a 70-year-old or 71-year-old. The ironic part of all of this, as the Minister of State will be well aware, is that the same 70-year-old or 71-year-old can drive those schoolchildren to a football match 150 miles away and take them home, yet they are not allowed to take them to school in the morning and bring them back home again in the evening. It does not make sense and is not logical. Every September, we have issues here with school transport in that there is a shortage of drivers. Here, we have a cohort of people who are willing, able and fully licensed to do a good job on behalf of the State and to provide a valuable service, but they are prohibited from doing so.”
“A cohort of people are fit and well, have been medically assessed and are fully licenced but, unfortunately, they are prohibited from driving under a Bus Éireann school contract because of their age. There is no problem with a 70-year-old driving a school bus in the UK or in other jurisdictions but it seems to be a problem with us here, as far as Bus Éireann is concerned. Many of the people doing this work have retired from their full-time occupation and are happy to drive a school bus. It is not overly taxing, in that it is not a 40-hour or 50-hour week process. We are talking about an hour and a half or so in the morning, and the same in the afternoon. It is not 52 weeks of the year. It follows the academic year, so there is a good bit of time off in that regard.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this afternoon. Over recent years, I have frequently raised the issue of the retirement age of 70 years old for Bus Éireann drivers. Today, I raise it again, seeking an update. This practice discriminates against people who are capable of providing a valuable service, and a much-needed one at that. Many people, me included, feel it is unfair that drivers are not able to continue to drive a bus after their 70th birthday under Bus Éireann contracts. These people may be perfectly fit, perfectly healthy and be medically assessed and licensed to drive a bus, but they cannot do so because Bus Éireann's one-size-fits-all policy means anybody over 70 years of age is considered unfit to drive a bus. This is a discriminatory and ageist policy that needs to be addressed and re-examined.”
“It is beyond belief that anybody would want to set a jetty that is there to assist wheelchair users or people with mobility issues to go and do a spot of fishing ablaze. Unfortunately, that is what happened. I appeal to anybody who was in the general vicinity on Sunday evening or Sunday night and who may have seen anything suspicious to please come forward and tell the authorities. We cannot allow acts like this to go unchallenged. It is hugely depressing that somebody would think it was a bit of fun to carry out such an act. If anybody has any information about cars in the area acting suspiciously or anything at all, will they please come forward and make that known to the authorities?”
“We often hear about many acts of wanton vandalism that occur throughout the country. Unfortunately, at Drum Lough near Drum in County Monaghan last Sunday night we had one such incident that would leave you scratching your head. There is a jetty there that was constructed using recycled plastic over 20 years ago. It was constructed primarily to assist wheelchair users or anybody who has mobility issues to go onto the lake to do a spot of fishing or just relax. Someone decided it would a good idea to set the jetty ablaze last Sunday night, an act that resulted in thousands of euro of damage. I thank the local fire brigade for arriving on the scene quite quickly. Thankfully nobody was hurt.”
“On the adult day services, I understand through the HSE that works are ongoing to explore and identify a site within Monaghan town. I am glad to report that a site has been identified. We look forward to that progressing to a new facility there. This is good news. It is very much welcomed and I know many families will welcome it. We will all work together to ensure that the best possible services are available to our children and our adults with those special needs.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive response from the Minister, Deputy Foley. I very much welcome the commitment within that statement that funding has been ring-fenced, if I can use that word, to keep Rainbow Lodge operational until such time as a new facility is in operation. As I said earlier, there was some concern that perhaps that was not the case. This will go a long way to alleviating concerns that parents had voiced to me. On the development of adult respite services, mention was given to Cavan in the reply and I very much welcome the work that is ongoing there. There is also a need for the development of an additional adult respite service in County Monaghan. I will continue to voice that as well.”