Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the IWA on the good work it has done over many years for thousands of people. Many questions have already been asked. Really what I am a little bit perplexed about is this change of model from a purpose-built centre with people who have skills that they have honed over many years and who have developed a service which by all account from the service users and their families is first class and which they want to maintain, and moving to a model which apart from the experimental model in Kilkenny is pretty much untested. That concerns me greatly. I see the sheet here which says that the hotel respite breaks are available in various places. I just contacted a couple of hotels this morning. I rang them and asked what the story would be if somebody in a wheelchair with particular needs and who requires a hoist were to book accommodation. I will not name the four hotels I contacted but all of them basically said, "No, not a hope." That was just ad hocbut it is the experience of an awful lot of the families of those who have chronic conditions and significant needs and who need to have a care atmosphere around them. Cuisle has provided that when nowhere else could provide it.