Dáil debates

Thursday, 2 February 2017

Topical Issue Debate

Respite Care Services

5:25 pm

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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In the past two weeks I have been contacted by several elderly parents about the lack of respite care services in north Kerry. The best way I can articulate this matter is by reading a letter I received last weekend from one mother. She says:

I am writing this letter as a very upset and concerned parent of a daughter who is attending the Kerry Parents and Friends Association in Listowel. We were informed last week that they are reducing respite in north Kerry in our facility, The Haven. There is little respite now as beds are being used for residential clients with high medical needs. A house was purchased last June in the Kilmeany, Kilmorna, Listowel area for respite. My understanding is that this is a four-bedroom house. We expected this to be up and running within three months, as the urgency of lack of respite was already causing problems. The house still remains empty and we are now heading into February. Funding for staff was promised by the HSE but none has been released. After a phone call to the head of the HSE disability services, we have been informed that there are no funds available, so the house remains empty. Once again we are badly hung out to dry regarding our sons, daughters and siblings. We have to join together now and let our voices of protest be heard once again. We have done it before and we can do it again. There are parents and clients at present who have never had respite. We are all getting older and we should definitely not be having this worry now - too scared of getting sick or old. We need to contact anyone and everyone we can - TDs, councillors, the HSE and Ministers - to tell them in no uncertain terms that we and our sons, daughters and siblings are entitled to respite. It is not a luxury.

I was also contacted by another woman and her husband. He is 75 years old and she is 70. They have a 46 year old son with autism and other intellectual disabilities. He is over 6 ft tall and a big and powerful man. Their difficulties are exacerbated because of their age and his physical strength. They have no access to respite care services. They are at their wits' end in trying to access some service. I am asking the Minister of State to make staff available at the four-bedroom house in the Kilmeany, Kilmorna and Listowel area to provide respite care for four people at any one time. Will he make this happen in order that some of those in desperate need will have some source of comfort?

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and giving me the opportunity to outline the position on services for people with disabilities who need respite care support in County Kerry. I know that he has been a long-time, strong campaigner for people with disabilities.

The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide them with greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. I am acutely aware of the changing needs of people with disabilities and understand many people require additional or alternative services. The provision of respite care services has come under increased pressure in the past couple of years. There is an increase in the number of children and adults seeking access to respite care, while there are increasing levels of changing needs owing to an increase in the age of people with a disability, as noted by the Deputy in the two cases he mentioned.

The way in which residential respite care services are provided has also changed as agencies comply with HIQA standards and the national policy on congregated settings. This affects the capacity of services in County Kerry to respond to the growing need for respite care. In some instances this means that beds are no longer available. For example, vacated beds for residents who go home at weekends or for holidays can no longer be used to provide respite care. This is a major problem. Currently, there are 12 beds available in County Kerry to provide respite care services for adults with an intellectual disability. These beds are provided by St. John of God and the Kerry Parents and Friends Association. On average, 426 nights of respite care are provided in County Kerry each month for children and adults with an intellectual disability or autism. A further 52 days, on average, of day respite care are also provided each month. The HSE acknowledges the current level of provision does not adequately meet the identified needs in the area. I totally accept that reality, but we have to do something about it.

The expansion of respite care services for people with disabilities is recognised as being essential to enable families to continue to care for individuals with disabilities and, in particular, those with significant disabilities. The HSE supported the Kerry Parents and Friends Association in 2016 by providing capital funding to purchase a house in Listowel to be used as a respite care facility. Unfortunately, no revenue funding is currently available to progress the opening of the facility. By the way, I do not accept this. The Kerry Parents and Friends Association recently reported that, owing to HIQA compliance requirements, it has had to reduce the number of respite beds available, leading to a decrease in respite care services for some. The need for increased respite care and residential facilities in County Kerry is acknowledged. The HSE continues to work with agencies to explore various ways of responding to meet this need in line with the budget available. Where a residential service is not available, the HSE endeavours to work with families and service providers to increase the support available through the provision of home support hours and day services. Of course, we have to act on and do something about this matter. I will make it a priority issue in the coming weeks.

Photo of Martin FerrisMartin Ferris (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response and welcome his comment that he intends to do something about the matter in the weeks ahead. Can he tell me how many beds were closed by HIQA? If the four bedrooms were available, would they meet the shortfall? Will the savings made by HIQA in reducing bed numbers be used to provide a respite care service in the house purchased by the HSE? The Minister of State needs to make this issue a priority, although I know that he also has to deal with priority matters raised by other Deputies concerning respite care services for parents and their children with intellectual disabilities. The people to whom I am talking are coming to end of their lives. As I said, one of them is 75 years old. They have looked after their children and watched them grow into adulthood. The respite care service they received was of some comfort to them.

6 o’clock

The fact that it is no longer available is causing huge alarm and fear. As they come towards the end of their lives, their fear as to who will look after their loved ones cannot be stressed enough. I hope the Minister of State will make this a priority, as he says. I look forward to seeing the outcome of that.

5:35 pm

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Ferris again for raising the issue. As far as I am aware, the figure he is looking for is between four and six beds. His proposals on the funding, costs and savings are something we should look at clearly. In the negotiations for this year's social care and disability service plan, the overall budget was set at €1.688 billion, which is an increase of €96.3 million or 6% on last year. I am going to go back to the people involved in the distribution of funding. Under that budget, we managed to secure 8,400 residential places, 182 respite overnights, 1.4 million PA hours for 2,400 people, 24,800 day places, 41,000 day respite sessions and €2.7 million for home support hours for 7,500 people. A service is there with a budget of €16.2 million to deal with emergency cases and within that sum there is funding for the new home supports in home respite for emergency cases. That is the approach I will be taking.

We need to ensure that when we provide funding for a house like the one Deputy Ferris mentioned in Listowel, we have the resources to provide the service. I will continue to pursue additional funds to increase the level of respite provision in Kerry. The HSE will continue to work with the service providers to explore all options regarding the provision of respite for all the adults in Kerry. Where residential respite is not available, the HSE and I will endeavour to work with those families and service providers to increase the support available through home support hours and day services. Of course, I will go back and make Deputy Ferris's issue a priority. As far as I am concerned, it is unacceptable.