Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat a Cheann Comhairle agus cuirim fáilte ar ais romhat agus roimh an Taoiseach. Tá súil agam go raibh sos breá agaibh agus go bhfuil sibh réidh go mór leis an obair atá romhainn. Aontaím leis an méid a dúirt an Taoiseach faoi Jimmy Magee. Ba mhaith liom mo chomhbhrón a dhéanamh leis a teaghlach. Mar a deireann an seanfhocal, ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

The Government's failure in the health sector is especially evident in the unacceptable way citizens with intellectual disabilities and their families are treated. There is a scandalous lack of services for families with children with disabilities. There is an absence of scheduled respite care services, especially for adults with intellectual disabilities and complex needs, including autism. These families believe they have been abandoned by the State. They are living in a perpetual crisis, under continuous stress, with no break because they cannot avail of proper respite services. As I am sure the Taoiseach knows, it gets worse as parents get older, get sick or their loved ones develop more challenging behaviour. Last night on RTE's "Prime Time" programmme we heard the story of Adrienne Murphy and her son Caoimh, a 14-year-old boy with autism. His mother was forced to make a desperate public plea to the HSE to provide residential care because she simply could no longer cope. He is in a hospital bed used to treat burn victims, not in a facility dedicated to meeting his particular needs.

Following last night's programme the Taoiseach may deal with Caoimh's case, but what about the others? In my constituency of Louth and Meath East I am contacted regularly by families who are in similar situations. Sam is an 18-year-old with severe autism, challenging behaviour and complex needs, which often result in violent episodes. His mother is battling to access a respite care service. Sam recently turned 18 years and is no longer eligible to avail of respite care services for children. As such, he is now without access to any respite care service. His family are exhausted and distressed and constant worrying about what might happen if there is a family crisis or illness and they cannot care for him. His mother has met the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris. She has built a campaign but believe her son's needs remain invisible to the Government.

Adam is a 42-year-old who is non-verbal and has high-support needs. His parents are elderly and at their wit's end. They have cared for him for all of his life with very little support from the State. This is another family who cannot secure a residential placement because no funding has been found. There is no real, fit for purpose, way to provide proper services for these citizens. The system is chaotic and disorganised and it is left to the endeavours and ability of individual families.

Budget 2018 provides an opportunity for the Government to make real differences to these families. What measures will Government introduce to ensure citizens, such as Caoimh, Sam and Adam, receive the dedicated services they so urgently need?

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