Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach's response concerns me. It is similar to his response yesterday when I raised the issue of homelessness. The Taoiseach focused in defensive mode on the issues pertaining to Mr. Hourihane, who was savagely beaten to death, instead of on the wider issues his death revealed in terms of the Government's inaction on housing. It is the same with his response today where he has essentially attacked, almost implying that the Cope Foundation is not spending the money it has got or is not doing it adequately or that he would like to see a 26% increase in services. The Government seems to be very intolerant of criticism, which is why people like Mr. Abbott have not spoken out for years. It is because they have a sense that they will get beaten back down, that it will be taken out on them by the Government and the authorities. That is a genuine feeling out there and that is what the Taoiseach just implied. What the Taoiseach did not do is point out that, essentially, the number of people for whom Cope Foundation works has doubled. As Mr. Abbott noted, it now caters for 2,300 children and adults. Cope Foundation catered for half that figure five years ago. It is not just about the Cope Foundation. The presentation by the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies to the Oireachtas in June concerned the funding crisis in disability services. People are not making this up.

Families with children with special needs are not making up the uncertainties, anxieties or stress they are under, or the fact that they cannot get assessments or access to speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and so on. The Government is not delivering on disability issues. Last year, provision was made for 100 therapists.

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