Seanad debates
Wednesday, 1 October 2025
An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
2:00 am
Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)
Many of us listened to parents speaking on RTÉ radio this morning on their worry about what will happen to their children with additional needs or a disability after they die. It was difficult to hear and I cannot imagine what it is like to hope that your child will pass away before you in order that they will not have to be moved into emergency State care. These circumstances are, unfortunately, quite common. In our office, one of my colleagues, Saoirse, has a younger sister with additional needs. Her family, particularly her mother, have to deal with the stress of trying to plan for who will care for her sister in the future. There is a vacuum of information and these families do not even know where to turn for advice or support or to plan. The Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026 put in place by the Government outlined that 900 people require residential support but budget 2024 and budget 2025 only allocated 166 of these places. There is no long-term care plan available for these vulnerable individuals if their caregivers die or no longer have the capacity to look after them. The truth is that there is little reassurance the Government can provide for these families. It is hard to understand why there is such a lack of future planning. I understand that the Department has to respond to emergencies as they happen, but surely there should be a focus on future-proofing.
The blueprints for residential units already exist. They do not require the Department to reinvent the wheel. The Donegal Centre for Independent Living is an incredible facility that allows people with disabilities to attain their independence while knowing that support is there for them. Will the Department prioritise residential places and assisted living facilities in the next budget? Only having 18% of the residential places we need is just not acceptable for a country as wealthy as Ireland.
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