Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The difficulty is that there is great concern. The Minister of State met many organisations, groups and advocates who are advocating continually to have proper services available to people with disabilities. Approximately 700 people emerged from second level education this year and were afforded places. The difficulty is that the service providers are telling me time and again that they are under significant pressure trying to deliver services for 2013 and that if there are further cutbacks or a diminution of services, they will simply not be able to provide the services we expect and demand. More important, New Directions, to which the Minister referred, challenges people with disabilities to have high expectations for themselves and their communities. This is a central theme in the report. If we expect and demand that people with disabilities challenge themselves, we surely expect the Government and State to provide the resources necessary for people to fulfil their potential. The latter does not seem to be the case and there is considerable concern. People's minds must be put at ease at this stage. The service providers, clients and families are at their wits' end owing to the fear that there will be no places available next year.

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