Martin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In the past two weeks I have been contacted by several elderly parents about the lack of respite care services in north Kerry. The best way I can articulate this matter is by reading a letter I received last weekend from one mother. She says:

I am writing this letter as a very upset and concerned parent of a daughter who is attending the Kerry Parents and Friends Association in Listowel. We were informed last week that they are reducing respite in north Kerry in our facility, The Haven. There is little respite now as beds are being used for residential clients with high medical needs. A house was purchased last June in the Kilmeany, Kilmorna, Listowel area for respite. My understanding is that this is a four-bedroom house. We expected this to be up and running within three months, as the urgency of lack of respite was already causing problems. The house still remains empty and we are now heading into February. Funding for staff was promised by the HSE but none has been released. After a phone call to the head of the HSE disability services, we have been informed that there are no funds available, so the house remains empty. Once again we are badly hung out to dry regarding our sons, daughters and siblings. We have to join together now and let our voices of protest be heard once again. We have done it before and we can do it again. There are parents and clients at present who have never had respite. We are all getting older and we should definitely not be having this worry now - too scared of getting sick or old. We need to contact anyone and everyone we can - TDs, councillors, the HSE and Ministers - to tell them in no uncertain terms that we and our sons, daughters and siblings are entitled to respite. It is not a luxury.

I was also contacted by another woman and her husband. He is 75 years old and she is 70. They have a 46 year old son with autism and other intellectual disabilities. He is over 6 ft tall and a big and powerful man. Their difficulties are exacerbated because of their age and his physical strength. They have no access to respite care services. They are at their wits' end in trying to access some service. I am asking the Minister of State to make staff available at the four-bedroom house in the Kilmeany, Kilmorna and Listowel area to provide respite care for four people at any one time. Will he make this happen in order that some of those in desperate need will have some source of comfort?

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