Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

My colleagues have summarised the situation well. Plans are well and good, but we need to see fundamental change on the ground. I will share a few personal stories from Donegal where, unfortunately, the failure to recruit a range of professionals has led to appalling outcomes for children with disabilities and their parents. Right now, for children who require psychiatric assistance and medication, it is not available to those who have an intellectual disability. It is just not there.

5 o’clock

If this child had medication, they would be able to have a manageable life at home. Without the medication, it is, sadly, a nightmare for the family. I spoke to a family who are completely isolated from social events and their wider family. They are in such a crisis and they can get no help, no psychiatric assistance and there is none going to be there for the foreseeable future.

There is another almost identical situation with another family. It was two separate families, two separate meetings, and they have had to lock off access to their surrounding family who live nearby because they cannot get respite support. I cannot understand how we end up in this situation. I have said this so often over the years. If you ask people whether they would mind their money being spent on children with disabilities, I do not know anybody who would. Imagine being locked in your own home and being unable to leave because your child is disabled. It is going be an awful situation where extended family will be physically attacked and nobody can help, either with psychiatric assistance or respite. That is the reality on the ground and it has to change.

See this speech in context