Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

My constituent, Graham Meehan, is being denied his right to live an independent but supported life because of the Government's refusal to properly fund residential care for those living in the community. Graham is 32 and an adored son of Maura and her husband. He has cerebral palsy and associated disabilities and autism. He is not alone in north Kildare, but he is alone in being named here today because the other parent to whom I spoke yesterday is too afraid of losing services as a retribution for speaking out. How sad is that? It tells its own story about the denial of rights in this country. Graham is receiving a week's respite in the coming months, the first since Covid. The reason for the delay is because another family had left their child in respite as they could not cope any longer. Maura told me this morning that she does not judge that family, but she wants Graham's transition to be organised and dignified. Graham is entitled to his rights, the same as any of us, because he is a citizen of this Republic, albeit an incomplete one. The Government says it does not want people with disabilities living in congregated settings, but it refuses to fund them to live independent lives in the community.

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