James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As we know, respite provides alternative family or institutional care for persons with disabilities in order to give their carers a break, but it also provides a break to the people suffering from disabilities. It allows carers in particular to continue looking after their loved ones in the long run. Carers benefit from the opportunity to take a break and recharge their batteries. Those receiving care enjoy an opportunity for comfort and care in new and different surroundings. Respite is an integral part of our community health care system, however in reality many carers meet difficulties when trying to engage or access the necessary respite.

In Wexford there is currently a shortage of supply of respite services. Carers are people who give vital care to their children, siblings and parents and do so in a selfless manner. It is also done in the case of foster parents. And yet these carers find themselves deeply frustrated and exacerbated. The lack of HSE response very often leaves families distraught. Frequent HSE staffing changes mean that calls for support from families are often not heard. Some families find themselves waiting more than a year for just one night's break. In one recent example in Wexford, a couple with three adult siblings had to wait for almost a year and a half to get respite care. Thankfully they got it just before Christmas, but they had to wait almost a year and a half for it. They had to contact their Deputies and councillors and even take to the national airwaves to get some sort of help and support.

Many of these parents are now becoming older. Some are even in their 80s. They are trying to take care of their children and foster children and they are getting tired. If their carers were not in a position to look after the cared for, the responsibility would fall back onto the State. Residential care for these people would cost an absolute fortune. Yet if the carers are not given the support that they need and that break to recharge their batteries, that is exactly what will happen. These carers want to look after the cared for. They fought tenaciously to get the care they need in order to look after their children, and their foster children in particular. However, the State is not stepping up. I will give one particular example. Two years ago Ard Aoibhinn in Wexford town opened up. It was supposed to provide additional respite care for these families in Wexford. It is now two years since it opened and there is still no respite there because the HSE, having provided substantial capital supports for it to be built, will not provide the necessary current funding to staff it in order to provide the necessary care. Other units are very often closed at weekends. Adults and children have to negotiate to get minimal access to these supports.

The programme for Government commits to help and support people with disabilities but unless carers get the necessary respite, and I am speaking about carers in my county in particular, the responsibility will fall back on the State. We have seen some examples recently in Wexford where people needed respite care but it was not received. Children were then getting into situations whereby they required long-term care and they were being put into the short-term respite beds which led to the amount of respite available decreasing even further. I am looking for further support for respite care in County Wexford.

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