Seanad debates

Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements

 

10:30 am

Photo of Caít KeaneCaít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The people are there and it is coming but not as much as it should. Every building should be considered under the concept of design for all. I saw on television a fellow who got onto a train but could not get off because there was no one to help him.

Early intervention is vital for help in preschools, many of which cannot take special needs children because the intervention and the support staff are not there. That is a problem for the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs and Health. In my own school I had a policy of ensuring a special place was reserved for at least one or two special needs children. I did my Master's degree in multiple intelligences. I listened to Senator Quinn talk about the cabbage leaf and the trolley. That is a prime example of multiple intelligence in use. The earlier one gets the intelligence that is primed for the child to use at a particular time, the better the child will get on. I had the privilege of having the first student with Down’s syndrome to take up the leaving certificate applied course. Early intervention is vital not only for the children in preschool education every day, but particularly for children with special needs. The Minister of State should chat to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to ensure that children with special needs get the help and the support staff they need in preschool.

I welcome the value for money audit. Salaries is the wrong place for 98% of the money to go. When I was on the South Dublin County Council I ensured there was braille on every door, to make it easier for people to get around the place. A Minicom was put in for deaf people. Textphone is now available which thankfully works. In respect of the EU recommendation that everybody have 3% staff, which is not mandatory, in South Dublin County Council we ensured that at least six people with special needs would be taken on. I would like to see a programme in here to take on people with special needs every year, up to a certain quota. I do not like quotas in everything, not even for women in politics, but we have to have them because they work well now. We have to have quotas for people with disabilities. Will the Minister of State consider that in the programme?Spina bifida is on the increase in Ireland and we know how debilitating it is. It results from a lack of folic acid. As with everything, prevention is better than cure. We should take every opportunity to highlight it.

I refer to the standards of care and inspection in homes. This is a subject close to the heart of the Minister of State and she has worked on it since she came to the Department.

Senator Moloney referred to the allocation of 20 minutes per home help visit. They might as well be told to stay at home. Money has to be spent on travel expenses, petrol and salaries so it is a waste of money to put them into the house. As Senator Moloney said, it takes a home help five minutes to take off his or her coat and another five minutes to put it on and there is not much time left. I ask the Minister of State is examine this situation. Value for money means value for work. The home helps are fantastic and the best group of people. They should be supported but putting such time constraints on them is not right.

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