Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move:

That Seanad Éireann:- notes the commitment of the Government in the Programme for Government to ensure that the quality of life for people with disabilities is
enhanced;
- notes in particular that Ireland has the highest participation rate of any country in the world in terms of Special Olympics Ireland, with around one-third of persons with an intellectual disability participating each year;
- notes that Special Olympics Ireland, a professionally run organisation with a strong volunteer network, has 400 community clubs across Ireland which offer training and competition in 15 Olympic type sports for those with an intellectual disability; and that the organisation operates a wide range of programmes which promote the development of the individual, by integrating them into local communities and giving them opportunities for personal development and achievement;
- notes that in 2003, Ireland hosted the most successful World Summer Games in Special Olympics history; and that on a weekly basis, Special Olympics Ireland offers a year-round programme of sport and training facilities to over 11,000 individuals throughout Ireland; and
- commends the Government and Minister Kathleen Lynch for their support for Special Olympics Ireland, and for their work in seeking to ensure enhanced quality of life generally for persons with disabilities, and in particular for adults and children with intellectual disabilities.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. This motion is dear to my heart. I welcome also Mr. Peter O'Brien of Special Olympics Ireland, Mr. Jim Kelly, parent of James, the athlete, and Cillian, another athlete, who are in the Visitors Gallery.

I am delighted the Minister of State is taking the debate as I have experienced her active commitment to people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics is what it says in the name - it is special. The volunteers who lend their time and money and without who Special Olympics would not exist, the athletes who compete and exercise unrivalled compassion and sportsmanship, the parents who watch fondly as their children make friends and engage in athleticism -- this is what makes Special Olympics unique. My own experience is that there is nothing like it. I have watched my son overcome with joy and pride at having received a medal. Sometimes I can be more competitive than the athletes. Recently, as parents we attended the regional finals in Kilkenny. It was a joy to see parents, siblings and athletes together and sometimes athletes waiting for other athletes before they cross the finish line. To me that is the true moment of sport and equality. It is an indescribable moment for every parent who has witnessed the same.

I pay a heartfelt tribute to Special Olympics Ireland. This organisation provides athletes with otherwise scarce opportunities to develop their physical fitness, demonstrate their courage and compassion, experience true joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, talents and friendships with families, Special Olympians and their community.

It is fitting that we have this debate around the tenth anniversary of the Special Olympic World Summer Games in Ireland, a truly momentous occasion. They are probably the most successful games. At the time of the games, every corner of Ireland became involved and contributed greatly to making these games widely recognised and the most successful on record. This firmly established Ireland as a caring island that supports equality and inclusion for those people with a disability. The games of 2003 brought home the true meaning of sport.

I could spend all of my allotted time speaking about the games in 2003 but this Private Members' motion is future focused. I am here to bring further awareness to Special Olympics Ireland. We must continue the momentum from 2003.

Special Olympics Ireland has permeated all 32 counties of Ireland and has 400 established community clubs. One in three people with an intellectual disability in Ireland participates in Special Olympics Ireland. This represents the highest worldwide penetration rate of Special Olympics programmes in the world. The average participation rate in most countries is 2% whereas in Ireland it is more than 33%. That is incredible and the numbers have increased since 2003 with 5,500 new athletes joining since the games in 2003. The valuable and vital year-round service of training and competition to more than 11,000 athletes cannot be emphasised enough. From this statement alone is it very apparent that Special Olympics Ireland has taken a large financial burden off of the State and the taxpayers. I pay tribute to my local club in Blackrock in County Louth which hosts the games every four years.

However, every weekend, there are the dedicated followers and volunteers, young and old alike. Special Olympics Ireland informed me that its oldest volunteer is 92, which is amazing.

Special Olympics Ireland is only able to provide this much needed service because of the 25,000 plus volunteers who commit endless hours to the organisation. The volunteers are the backbone of the organisation and without them, Special Olympics worldwide would not be the success it is.

The financial position of Special Olympics Ireland is precarious. The organisation has been shrewd and professional in its financial dealings but the recession has left no stone unturned. The organisation currently receives €1.2 million in Government funding through the Irish Sports Council. It also receives a small grant of €54,000 from the HSE for the promotion of health, with a commitment only up to 2015. That is it. Worryingly, this represents only 34% of the overall costs of running the programme in 2013. For comparison sake, in Northern Ireland it receives funding from the executive to the tune of 68% of it operating costs. Further cross-Border co-operation for Special Olympics would be extremely useful for us and would provide valuable knowledge for both sides. It provides another non-sectarian link to our partners in the North. As a member of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, I submitted such a proposal and I would be grateful if I could get backing to initiate talks between the two.

Special Olympics Ireland ran an operational loss of €1.41 million in 2012 and estimates a projected loss of €1.69 million for this year. It can no longer rely on the generous donations it once received to fund its activities. Difficult economic times are the obvious cause and we must do something. We must pick up the slack here to support those who gladly give up of their time and ensure that this service does not even have to contemplate downgrading its programme, especially in light of the upcoming June 2014 Special Olympics Ireland Games in Limerick. I was horrified when I read recently that if Special Olympics Ireland does not have adequate funding, there is a danger that it might have to send a reduced team to the European games next year and to Los Angeles in 2015. That is probably the worse that could happen.

The Department of Health, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the Department of the Taoiseach each has a responsibility to Special Olympics Ireland in various different ways. Some €1.2 billion is allocated each year for disability. Special Olympics receives not one cent, even though it greatly enhances the physical well-being, social situation and mental health of each athlete. It would be pertinent to remind these Departments that the Department of Health is not solely responsible for disability. At a time when we promote equality, inclusion and mainstreaming more than ever, I would have hoped that certain Departments would have taken the notion on board that disability is everybody's problem and pointing fingers back to the Department of Health and not working in a cross-departmental fashion is something they must be examined. The only ones who we end up hurting with this behaviour are those who we were aiming to help.

Those athletes who participate in Special Olympics are recognised for being susceptible to obesity, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Socially, they are prone to having few social outlets and difficulty in accessing social situations with their peers. One in five of those with an intellectual disability is diagnosed with depression, and one must bear this in mind in the context that they represent 5% of the population. I would ask that the Department of Health think more innovatively and support Special Olympics Ireland because it has taken a large burden off the Department's shoulders. To be totally honest, this will not sink in for some unless the service is seriously in danger.

Special Olympics Ireland is allocated no funding from the Department of Health. I would ask that it be considered in the budget 2014 configuration. One specific measure that I would ask to be introduced is the provision of a small amount of money, perhaps €100 per athlete. I note it is also Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch's, belief that the money should follow the client. I would propose that a small amount of money, perhaps €100, would be taken from that budget to follow the athlete. It would not be directly allocated to the programme but it would be held accountable for how the money is spent. This suggested €100 per athlete would ease the burden on the organisation and be transparent in its function, and would do exactly what we, in the programme for Government, set out, namely that the money would follow the client.

It is obvious that Special Olympics has been asked to do so much with very little and with numbers increasing every year. We owe it to support this as a Government and on a cross-party basis, and I hope there will be cross-party support here today. Special Olympics has given so much. It is time we gave back to them.