Dáil debates
Thursday, 18 January 2018
Topical Issue Debate
Respite Care Services Provision
6:30 pm
Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important issue. It is at least the third time he has allowed this issue to be discussed. Progress has been made but we are at an impasse. Listeners to "Morning Ireland" earlier heard a mother, Jacinta, whose son, Sam, has met the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health. The Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Finian McGrath, has visited the constituency. All the Deputies representing the constituency have backed the call for proper respite care to be provided to people in County Louth. The service is inadequate and families are suffering greatly. Unfortunately, Jacinta, as a recent television programme showed, was assaulted and the programme showed what she is going through to help, support and keep the son she loves in a loving, caring and compassionate home. This is being denied to her by the refusal to provide the respite care services that were promised.
I was informed in reply to a parliamentary question I tabled earlier this year that following the budget, negotiations were in train between the HSE and service providers to provide respite care. Jacinta told me that when she contacted the potential providers they said no such contacts had been made. I will bring the parliamentary question to the Ceann Comhairle's attention following the Minister of State's reply. False and misleading information was given to me, which I gave to that caring mother. The community cares so much about people with disabilities and they try to keep family members at home. They dedicate their lives to supporting them. It is unacceptable that a misleading reply would be so given and I await the Minister of State's response on this issue.
We need to have a caring society and the political system would not have it otherwise, but there is no possibility of respite care being provided until due process, which has not commenced, has been gone through.
I went to the extent of contacting service providers in County Louth today, having visited the property of one of them last year in the company of some family members. They believe that, because of the exceptional measures and the lack of proper respite care in County Louth, the HSE should make an emergency and urgent application for exceptional funding for a temporary period, be it three or six months, so respite can be offered to these families. In the meantime, obviously, the longer and more competitive procurement process can continue.
It is not unusual for the HSE in exceptional circumstances to seek, for a temporary period, services for care of the elderly or people who are very ill. For example, for the winter beds initiative it rings up nursing homes all the time and takes beds from them. These beds will be available in County Louth for these unfortunate people if the HSE officials have the strength and commitment to do that. I intend to pursue them fully, ruthlessly and relentlessly until the service is provided because it is a denial of basic, fundamental human rights when the money is provided by the political system but no initiative has commenced or has been processed as of this day.
6:40 pm
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath. I have just been made aware of the letter referred to by Deputy O'Dowd and perhaps I will get a chance to deal with that shortly.
I thank Deputy O'Dowd for raising this important issue and for giving me the opportunity to outline the position in regard to the provision of respite services in County Louth. As the Deputy is aware, the Government's ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service. We are committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities, which will empower them to live independent lives. As part of its ongoing service provision, this year the HSE will provide over 182,000 respite nights and 42,500 day respite sessions to families in need right across the country.
Both the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, and the Minister, Deputy Harris, accept the urgent need for increased respite care throughout the country, which is why an additional €10 million has been secured to specifically enhance respite care in the disability sector. In terms of respite houses, €8 million will be used to provide ten new dedicated respite houses which are coming on stream this year. There is one in each HSE community health organisation, CHO, area and three in the greater Dublin area, which will add 19,000 extra respite nights in a full year. In addition, a further €2 million extra funding will be used for innovative respite solutions, such as home sharing and extended day services, in order to provide assistance where people need it most.
Following the necessary procurement process, the HSE will work with HIQA to ensure registration of these facilities in a timely manner. Obviously, this all takes time but I can assure the House that every effort will be made to bring these additional services on stream as soon as possible. Many people with disabilities are being cared for by very elderly parents who are finding it very hard to cope. Other carers simply do not have the hours in the day to look after the other members of their families and, as importantly, their own health and well-being.
The Minister of State, Deputy McGrath, has made it clear this money must be ring-fenced for respite services within the disability sector and must be targeted at those who are most in need. The provision of respite services has come under additional pressure in recent years. More children and adults are now seeking access to respite and the changing needs of people with a disability are also having an impact as they, along with the rest of the population, live longer lives. A Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the need for respite services to be developed further and we are fully committed to ensuring this happens.
In the context of respite services in County Louth, discussions are ongoing at CHO area 8 level regarding the emerging need for additional respite services and the options to be developed to meet these needs. The HSE continues to work with agencies to explore various ways of responding to this need in line with the budget available. The additional funding for 2018 will include the development of respite services in CHO area 8, including County Louth. Scoping out the most effective way of commissioning respite services as part of this new money will be an immediate priority for the HSE in order to ensure services are brought on stream without delay. The Deputy will appreciate that proposals can only be considered within the funding available to the HSE and must adhere to a rigorous procurement process.
Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I accept and acknowledge she is blameless in this matter and this is not her area of accountability. However, my views have not changed. This is departmental gobbledygook and it is unacceptable. While I am not being pejorative towards the Minister of State, whom I respect, I reject the rubbish she has been given to read out, which suggests I have to tell the mother of that child and other parents that nothing is going to happen, because that is what it means. The money is there. The problem is that the process will continue until perhaps the third quarter of this year before anything happens.
I want to be constructive. I ask the Minister of State to bring my comments back to the Department. I ask her to listen to what was said on "Morning Ireland" this morning during the interview with the mother of that child and another mother who accompanied her, who spoke in tears about her two sons who are now in their 20s and cannot and did not get respite. I repeat what I have said, namely, the HSE should make an immediate and urgent application given the exceptional circumstances which apply. Last April the HSE responded in writing to me about all the things it was going to do but it did none of them. As an exceptional measure, I would ask it to do this now.
I spoke to two of the service providers today. Different service providers will be able, if asked, to provide a quote to the HSE if the HSE wants to do that. I will be back here next week on this issue. I am talking to the Secretary General of the Department of Health, the Minister for Health, the Taoiseach and the whole damn lot of them. They are not doing their job in this case. It is unacceptable that, after due process in the Department, after the political system has said this money is being provided, it is not being used.
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the House is aware, I came with a prepared speech and I was not aware of the letter to which the Deputy referred. I will certainly raise all of the issues with the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, who apologises for not being here this evening. I fully concur with Deputy O'Dowd.
Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I accept that.
Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Even in my own constituency, I have had people ring me in regard to respite care, particularly for children, which astonished me. The children are in their teens now and there is a need for the HSE to up its game to make sure respite is available for those families, who are struggling on daily basis in trying to deal in particular with older children and youths. The difficulty is that, at some stage in their disability, they can become very agitated and angry, and this can lead to a lot of concern, particularly where older parents are looking after children. I will bring the Deputy's very strong views back to the Minister of State, Deputy McGrath. The Deputy might send on to the Minister of State a copy of the letter.