Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Breathnach for agreeing to allow me to speak on this. I appreciate his commitment, which we share, as does Deputy Adams. We have met regularly with the HSE and with Drumcar and St. John of God's to try to get a solution to the problem that continues. It will continue until adequate and proper funding is provided. I welcome the commitment of the Minister of State and the Taoiseach to deal with this issue, but the scale of it is huge. There has been no increased investment by the HSE into respite care since 2008. The estimated number of new places required nationally by 2020 is 2,133. In our own HSE area, that number is 316. There is no sign of any of these places at this moment in time. There is huge distress, upset and concern. There are people crying on the phone, elderly people breaking down at meetings and parents in their 80s distraught and terribly upset. People are listening and Ministers are listening, but we need the action and we need it now.

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