Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have to say this because it has been in my head for so long. Some years ago, a doctor and a family member could get someone in danger of harming themselves into residential care where they would be minded one to one all day and night until the person got better. We cannot do that anymore. It is not happening anymore, but it has to happen because so much of this is happening across the country, in Kerry, Cork and everywhere else. Family members know that something has gone wrong, but they cannot do anything about it. They talk to their family members, but so many of them are not trained. Many people do not have time. They have their own lives and problems. They are working and taking children to school. We have had so much of it in recent times. I ask the Minister of State to look at this. Why can we not do something to deal with it? The other problem is we do not even have residential places. People are let out of care on a Friday evening and families are thrown into jeopardy. Who is going to be with the person all evening, all night, the following morning, on Saturday morning and through to Sunday and all of the following week? I know so many cases where this is happening. They are let out of hospital, no one is there to mind them and we lose them. It is very sad and very bad.

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