Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A parent mentioned to me about home support hours that were granted to her for her child, and she is being told in her CHO area that the worker must work only within the house whereas her sister, who lives in the south of the country, has the same hours for similar reasons and the home support worker can take the child out to the park, swimming or whatever. I merely seek clarification of a standardisation across services. It would make more sense for the support worker to be able to take the child out.

In relation to adult services, I had two parents of autistic adults who have associated mental health issues. They have both been placed in different residential settings but they are not receiving any supports there. They are being heavily medicated and it is not addressing their needs at all. I have written to the Minister and to the HSE but I am not getting any responses. One young man has been hospitalised three times since January. On the most recent occasion, which was only in recent weeks, the pharmacist in the hospital reviewing his medication identified two medications that should not be combined and that had been prescribed by the psychiatrist attached to the residential setting. It is not a HSE setting but he is being paid for by the HSE to go there. It is a considerable amount of money. His mother is extremely worried about him. He is very ill and it could have been much worse if the pharmacist had not identified this. I merely highlight that residential services should include supports for persons with autism.

Many of them maybe would not have mental health issues if they got the proper supports and, if possible, in the community rather than in residential settings.