Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, I want to respond to the comments of Senator Craughwell to assure him with regard to the Defence Forces. Like Senator O'Loughlin, I will use every opportunity, as part of the Government formation, to speak to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, on a number of issues relating to the Army. We have issues in my part of the country with regard to the western command and Athlone. Without question, it will be an important matter and I am sure it will be discussed a number of times here in the House. I will briefly refer to an issue of concern to me, which affects rural and urban areas and the islands. I am concerned about young people with disabilities who are still cocooning. I acknowledge that this is a difficult area and having been approached by parents, carers and teachers, it is clear there is a lot of concern about how these people have suffered from their daily routine not being there during this lockdown. Would it be possible to speak to the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities in order that these people can return to some form of normality in the coming weeks? I know a number of those people myself and while many strides have been made for them through our system, their great carers and parents putting in a huge effort, there is no doubt that their quality of life has been lost and there is grave concern about them.

The second matter relates to our older population. People with disabilities, young people, older people or elderly people who go to day care centres are all very much part of the fabric of villages and towns, not just in rural areas but in urban parts as well. While it was very important and critical that we took every care with those older people and advised them to cocoon, the other side of the coin is that if this continues, they could deteriorate because they are missing their interactions with people and going into their town or village. The Minister of State with responsibility for older people might come to the House at some stage to discuss a pathway for those day care centres to carefully organise a return to some form of normality. They are vital for those people but they are also vital for local economies because there are centres in most towns, they are spending money in most towns and they are bringing people into the towns. Those people need to be thought about now. While I fully respect and endorse all that has been done up to now by the Government, the Department of Health and the HSE, I still have many questions about opening up foreign travel and all that because we have to be very careful. We must look at opening up a pathway for those young people with disabilities and older people who are still expected to cocoon. Not all those older people will return to the centres and certain issues will have to be addressed regarding social distancing and all that, but many of the groups that have approached me have said they can put that in place because they have large buildings. They are anxious to get some light at the end of the tunnel on the matter.