Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for coming to discuss this all-important issue which I know is a subject close to her heart. As she is aware, I am involved in a respite house, St. Gabriel's Foundation, in Limerick, and we would not be up and running if not for the Minister of State's dedication and commitment. I acknowledge that and put it on the record. We sat with a vacant building for close to 12 months before the Minister of State came to visit and gave us the funding. We were opening the respite house only one day or two days per week on other occasions. It is now up and running full time and I acknowledge the Minister of State's personal commitment.

The Government has done a lot for carers but I feel it can go further. I understand it is a work in progress and not everything can happen at one time. Carers keep so many people out of hospital. They are so dedicated to looking after their own loved ones and, in many cases, friends are looking after friends. I acknowledge the work they do because it is important to acknowledge that. Many people are relieved of the burden of going into hospital when they end up with issues.

I am interested in the area of children's services. I know a family who have a very disabled daughter. At one stage, they were looking for permanent residential care, which is an issue because there is a shortage of places. That care is required for a child who is severely disabled. Because the child was growing, the family were finding it hard to lift and look after the child. It was not that they wanted to abandon the child but there were so many complex issues that they found it very difficult. While they had help from different services, it was coming to the stage where the family were really upset that they could not give the care and attention the child needed. It is an area we need to look at. When I inquired most recently, eight children were on a waiting list in my community healthcare organisation, CHO, area, which is quite a lot. Those eight children are still on that waiting list. It is an area I would like to see looked at or supported.

I compliment the "Be part of our team, be part of their lives" campaign. It was a fantastic scheme that related to dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers and speech and language therapists. I know from my dealings with children that there is a shortage of people with those skills. I understand a number of applications have been received, so I hope people will be put into those jobs quickly because they will help to support many children with disabilities. I spoke to a retired speech and language therapist who had been asked to come back to do contract work. It is about reaching out to people who have the skills and bringing them back on board.

Respite service is essential for families, especially those who have children or adults with a disability. It is such a needed service because it is 24-7 in many houses. We must invest in that whole system of supporting families who support family members with a disability and who need to be commended.

I have been campaigning for family carers and their access to a pension. I know there is a commitment that family carers will qualify, but up to now, they have been ineligible for anything. The commitment is welcome. Many people have given up jobs through necessity to become carers. They had a tough decision as to whether to continue with their careers or to become carers, which requires dedication. I have a neighbour, a young man, who is looking after his mother and aunt 24-7. One of them has dementia and the other is bed-ridden. I see the work they go through. They needed a stairlift and a downstairs toilet because it is an older house that does not have those things. It was not built with people who have issues in mind.This man was given the runaround when it came to trying to qualify for that support. It is a very difficult situation to be coping with caring for people who are ill and have a disability, while also trying to qualify for a grant. I would like more consideration to be given to this area. While a lot of people have qualified and there has been a lot of investment in the provision, some of the red tape needs to be removed.