Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for attending for this Topical Issue. Like Deputy Flanagan, I have encountered a significant amount of distress among carers not only in my constituency, but throughout the greater south Dublin area. Everybody knows the value we attach to respite care. It is very important for carers that they have an opportunity to break from routine. It is also very important for their dependants, particularly in the case of children with intellectual disabilities and so forth, to have the opportunity to express their independence and to go to a different environment.

I have met with a group of parents who live in the south Dublin area, all of whom care for adult children with intellectual disabilities. In 2012 and 2013 they were in receipt of 20 days respite per year. That figure has now reduced to 12 nights respite per year. In some instances carers do not receive any respite at all. It appears to be quite random and ad hoc, and is causing a large amount of distress. There are also instances where respite care has been arranged and agreed. Due to the changes in staffing the notice period is now much longer than it was previously, so the respite care might be arranged weeks if not months in advance. However, due to emergency residential care requests, the respite care might be cancelled at short notice or at the last minute, even on the afternoon or evening it was due to begin. That makes it difficult for families to plan and for carers to provide the type of care that is required by their dependants.

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