Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his response, but even with the transfer of functions to another Department the issue of respite care in disability services is not getting enough focus.

It is still severely lacking. This comes back to my core question. How will we cope with the pressures? How will respite services in this country cope with additional pressures? We need to answer this question honestly because many families are concerned. Every week in my offices I meet families who are struggling. They are begging for help. They are begging for respite for adult children. They are unable to cope and they have health conditions themselves. Will we assure these people there will be no erosion of current services, weak and all as they are, with the extra pressures coming into the system? We need to have this honest debate now. We need to provide assurances to these many families throughout the State who are struggling. They are pleading for more help and for basic respite services. We owe it to these families to be very clear that their services will not be eroded in any way and that more services will be put into the system to help these families.

See this speech in context