Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can empathise with the Deputy and the comments he made in the respect of the pressure and stress on people in this situation. The Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill is going through the Dáil. The ratification of the convention is subject to a number of items of legislation going back 18 months or two years. In Ireland we prefer to put the legislation through and for it to become law and then to ratify conventions, rather than what other countries do in some cases, which is to ratify a convention and then they have to follow through with the legislation. The legislation, which is currently going through the Dail, is another piece of the jigsaw that will bring us nearer being able to sign that convention.

However, something needs to be done for the families the Deputy mentioned, and that is part of the programme the Minister for Health is examining with a ten-year perspective from an all-party Dáil committee. As to how we take the politics out of many of these areas, Tralee, no more than many other towns around the country, would love to have an opportunity to have a place where respite care could be provided for local people and where that opportunity should exist. In respect of the convention, that Bill is going through the Dáil. We will look at the question of access to respite care for the families the Deputy mentioned.

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