Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We all share the same common desire to have the best possible policies and services for people with disability. That is what Covid taught us, when we saw how the Department of Health could work with the local HSE areas that could work with the various providers. However, during all that working arrangement, families had no access to respite. That is why families are coming through that phase at this moment exhausted, tired and needing to know the pathway. They realise that they, perhaps, cannot be able to do this day in, day out, without knowing for how long. That is the concern that families have. We are very fortunate in the mid-west with St. Gabriel's, in that we have that established respite piece. However, respite is only one part of the gamut of suites that is required for people with disability.

We talk about alternative respite care and permanent respite care. We then have to talk about phased residential care, full residential care and how to support the needs of the individual - the person-centred approach - and the families. At the centre of that is good communication. It is no good not knowing if you are one of the two involved. People need to know where they are.

On the other side of it, my job for 2022 is to spend the money wisely with the HSE to ensure we build that capacity, not just in CHO 3, but in every CHO around the country. I look forward to the NSP being announced, because my will, preference and desire is to build that capacity to ensure that we leave no CHO behind and we address the whole suite of measures that families want. This Government has a commitment to funding and it is my job to ensure I see delivery for families on the ground.

I thank the Senator for her question.