Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cheann Comhairle as an deis an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a phlé inniu. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise the serious ongoing lack of scheduled respite services for people with disabilities in County Louth. Táim buíoch as an tacaíocht ó na Teachtaí eile atá i láthair ón Dáilcheantar sin. Tá muintir Chontae Lú buartha agus tá imní mór uirthi i dtaobh an drochscéil faoin easpa seirbhísí. People with disabilities and their families live in a state of perpetual crisis, especially in Louth and east Meath. I am contacted regularly by families who are in dire need and they all have a similar tale of never-ending fights to access services from the State which should be theirs by right. There is a particular absence of sufficient scheduled respite services for citizens with intellectual disabilities and complex needs. I have raised many examples of this in the Dáil with the Minister and recently with the Taoiseach himself.

I raised the situation faced by Sam and his family. Sam is an 18 year old man with severe autism, challenging behaviour and complex needs. He is now 18 and as a result he cannot avail of previous respite services that he once attended. The family is constantly worried about what may happen if there is a family crisis and they cannot care for him. His mother has met with the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and she is meeting with the HSE's early years manager. She built a community-led campaign which has submitted proposals to the Government yet it seems that her son's needs are invisible. The Minister is aware of these cases and he cannot abdicate responsibility to the local HSE area because it has not been given sufficient resources to expand services.

I think the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, has a good heart in these matters, and it should not fall upon parents, families and community activists to be responsible for ensuring funding. That is the Minister of State's job. I ask him to ensure that urgent and immediate emergency funding for existing respite service proposals that are in the possession of the HSE should be provided with all speed.

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