Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. What he seems to be saying is the data Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony received by way of a reply to a parliamentary question do not capture all of the respite care overnights. If that is the case, it is inexplicable. The data I have for the Cork South Lee area are that in 2015 there were 4,084 respite care overnights. In 2018 that number had fallen to just over 2,500. That represents a fall of 38% between 2015 and 2018 and the figure is falling again this year. The Minister of State spoke about a change to the model of care. The provision of respite care in Cork is appalling. It is literally only provided in emergency cases where families simply cannot continue. That is the reality. The hard figures I have in front of me show a 38% fall in the number of respite care overnights. This reply to a parliamentary question does not indicate anything about a change to the model of care and it not being captured in the data. If respite care overnights are being provided in a family setting, it should be set out in the data, but it is not.

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