Youth Services
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-28
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

I thank the Minister of State for recognising the wonderful work. It is outstanding and I am not just saying that because I worked there for so long but it is an incredible service. Like any service that operates on a yearly basis, it is very hard to plan. I understand that there will be Estimates and the fact that the CYPSC co-ordinator is liaising with HSE and the HYLS manager. It is all very positive and I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has recognised the impact it has. I just want to quote what people have said. One parent talked of the confusion immediately after their child received a diagnosis of autism. "We were left without knowing who to turn to, what to do, where to go, and the autism support officer changed all that." Another spoke of being given a listening ear which, "left me with a feeling of being understood as a parent." Another parent said, "He now has friends, he's got like-minded peers, feels accepted, and even chats to them on the phone." These are not isolated comments. Every parent just wants to make sure that their child is happy in school. Not only is this life changing for the young person and their family, it is also cost-effective in the long run. Everyone wants to enjoy school and the longer people are supported to stay in school adds to the success rate they can go on to when they finish school. I am sorry for going over time but multi-annual funding is definitely the key to ensure that these services are fully supported.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-28