Longford Senator Micheal Carrigy is calling for an Ombudsman to be appointed to handle complaints about the health services here.
The Fine Gael politician who is Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism says many parents of children with special needs are frustrated by no real mechanism to deal with their grievances.
The Longford Senator says there is no regulatory service involved with our health services and the answer that 'they are doing their best' is no longer good enough when someone makes a complaint about not being able to access fundamental care.
He says an Ombudsman would give an independent aspect that is sadly lacking in the HSE at present:
"As Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism, I've met numerous parent groups and individual parents from all over the country and a common theme is issues with regards to the terrible level within the various disability deals with across the country. But the fact that when you do make a complaint, it's generally someone from within the HSE that reply, so I feel we need an independent mechanism."
