Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The motion I have submitted relates to funding from the Department to the local authority to enable it to adapt local authority houses to accommodate people with physical or intellectual disabilities. I wish to raise one case, in particular. A family with a daughter who has physical and intellectual disabilities applied to Cork City Council to have their house adapted because the child had to be lifted out of bed every morning. They must look after her needs. She has to be washed and tube-fed. That is the extent of care they must provide for their daughter. In July 2008 they received a letter from Cork City Council confirming that the house needed to be adapted and that the work would be done. In November 2008 they were presented with a set of plans, detailing what was required. To this date no work of any description has been carried out. The child is now an adult; she is 19 years of age.

My understanding is that last year Cork City Council received €361,000 to carry out works of this nature. I do not know where this money was used, but I do know that this family did not have alterations made to their house last year. This is outrageous. Here is a family who are looking after someone with major disabilities and they are not looking for a huge amount. They are just looking for a little support and encouragement in order that they can provide the level of care needed. If their daughter was being cared for full time in a State facility, it would be costing the taxpayer €2,000 a week, but the parents do not want this. They want to look after her at home, but we are not giving them the support they require.

I understand there are several other families in a similar position in Cork city and I am sure there are others around the country. It is time we looked at this issue in respect of the funding from central government, how that funding is used at local level and allocating it to deal with priority cases. That is why I am raising the issue today.