Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Professor McCarron for her presentation and for all the work that everyone has done in this area. It is important that all the issues are examined, especially in respect of people with intellectual disabilities. How many people with intellectual disabilities are affected? How many are looked after at home with the support of the health services and how many are in full-time structured care? What are the challenges for the future? Hopefully, life expectancy will continue to increase because of improved health services but there is increased demand for services as we try to support ageing parents, for example. Over the next ten years, how many people will require structured care? This is a major issue in the context of elderly care. The number of people aged 65 will increase by approximately 20,000 per annum in coming years. A new Government will be elected in 2016 and by the time it leaves office five years later, another 100,000 people will be aged over 65. How many people with ID are being looked after at home at the moment? Given the age profile of their carers, there will be further demands on structured care for them.

I have worked with a number of families to file complaints with the Ombudsman for Children. On the one hand, significant support and care is provided by the health service. For example, in Cork, the Cope Foundation has been extremely helpful to parents of children with both physical and intellectual disabilities. On the other hand, the local authority is saying they are just numbers. In one case I am dealing with, the person is aged 20. In July 2008, the local authority wrote to the family and said the local authority house they were living in needed to be adapted. In November 2008, the family submitted the plans outlining the changes that were needed but six and a half years later, nothing has been done. I am dealing with another case where the child who is now an adult has to be physically lifted out of bed every morning, washed and looked after. The disability is so severe that the person has to be tube fed. On the one hand, State services are extremely helpful while, on the other, some State services are not doing anything to help. Is the co-ordination of services being examined? There seems to be a lack of co-ordination in services for people with intellectual disabilities who live at home. I may be dealing with 50 cases in this regard. Has Professor McCarron come across this issue?

How does Professor McCarron believe this matter can be dealt with as we move forward? The cases of the families I am dealing with have gone to the Ombudsman for Children. I hope that procedure will assist in bringing some conclusion. Perhaps Professor McCarron has some ideas on the matter. I thank Professor McCarron again for the comprehensive study and the work she is doing.