Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This afternoon, elected representatives had a humbling experience when we met parents and friends of people with intellectual disabilities who were campaigning outside Leinster House. Michelle, Frances, James, Lawrence, Martina and Brendan are six of the 250 adults with intellectual disabilities in Kerry. At present they use the services of the Kerry Parents and Friends Association. The Government intends to change their lives forever and not for the better in 2013. At the 21 locations in my county, despite savings and cuts over the past four years totalling €1.1 million, the staff of the Kerry Parents and Friends Association have demonstrated enormous compassion and goodwill, something obviously lacking in the previous and current Governments. They did so to ensure these cuts did not impact on the services they provide. Unfortunately, because of these cuts there is no other avenue of savings open to the organisation. It has reduced hours and redeployed staff. It has cut relief hours, maximised the skill mix, sent people home from residences at weekends and charged families for day services. It has cut budgets at every centre and in all areas. At a meeting on Monday last week, the management informed families every euro cut from its budget in 2013 can only mean a cut in services. This means home care and residential care will be cut. It means respite will be impacted. On top of this, a further 5% will be cut in 2013, which is a further €400,000. This means the board of directors will face a conflict in January. Does it honour its legal duties under company law and balance the budget, thereby depriving very vulnerable people of essential services, or does it honour its moral duty to these services?

In July, the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, stated in the House that there is no more accurate measure of a nation than how it treats the sick, the vulnerable, the damaged and the dying. I contend very strongly that parents and friends who look after people with intellectual disabilities with provisions through the HSE from the Government provide an invaluable service for those most in need in our communities. I argue very strongly that any further cuts will decimate the services. It is incumbent on any Government, Minister, Government Deputies or anyone with a moral obligation to people most in need to ensure that services are provided for those most in need. There is no justification for any further cuts. There was no justification for the previous cuts, but certainly when they affect the provision of services they are morally and criminally wrong.

See this speech in context