Mr. John Hannigan:

I thank the Deputies and Senators for inviting me. I represent an organisation that has 61 voluntary members. It provides 80% of the services for intellectual disabilities across the country. Most of the services have been founded by parents and families. Most still have family and parents involved in their governance. Effectively, we support nearly 22,000 people across the country. I am the managing director of Sunbeam House Services, a Wicklow-based adult service providing supports for 360 people in the Wicklow area. We provide 410 jobs and support 350 families with what they believe are very necessary and critical supports.

Unfortunately, over recent years, the demand for our services has outstripped the supply. We are constantly looking for ways to innovate but, over recent years, we have seen more than 17.5% taken from the budgets of the various organisations providing the supports. It may not sound like a very big figure but when already operating on a not-for-profit basis, it becomes very difficult to sustain the cuts. Up to 20 September, 831 school leavers have been provided with some level of support, but nothing like what they need. Unfortunately, quite a number of them have very complex needs. They probably need very significant supports but are not getting them. They are now on a waiting list.

We spent the past two years implementing the value-for-money report, considering the policy review and ensuring that the sector as a whole has made progress in that regard. We can demonstrate very clearly that is what we have been doing. We potentially face a considerable number of cuts this year. If they occur, everybody, including Ms Angela Edghill, will say he or she deals with the most vulnerable people. Organisations supporting affected people are now facing growing deficits that are very significant. Services cannot continue where growing deficits occur.

My organisation has had to implement very significant cuts regarding what we consider to be substantial services for 44 people. We operate across an urban-rural divide and there is not very good rural transport, unfortunately, at this point. Owing to the Haddington Road agreement and all the cuts imposed over the past 12 months, we now have to reduce that, which has an impact on the lives, jobs and finances of families.

Next year, we know there will be at least another 800 school leavers affected. This year, a sum of €12 million was required to provide the relevant services. Some €4 million was provided, yet most of the affected individuals received some level of support.

I am not here just to speak about the organisations as it is very important that cuts to DA, carer support and respite care be reconsidered, as advocated by other witnesses. Increases are required because the cost of living among the people who are being supported has been very much eroded over the past five or six years. The people of whom I speak are among the most vulnerable. That is not a cliché but I acknowledge it is a statement that members will hear for the rest of the day.