The staff shortage issue at Cavan's Irish Wheelchair Association has reached the ears of both the Disabilities Minister Anne Rabbitte and Tánaiste Micheál Martin in the past couple of days. Cavan-based TD Niamh Smyth raised the matter with both.
Earlier this month, the IWA announced it has had to move to an "outreach model" with the day centre not accepting clients face-to-face. It has shifted services to home visits, daily phone calls and online events, during the staff shortage. In an email, Minister Anne Rabbitte acknowledged the HSE were first made aware of staffing issues at Cavan IWA back in March.
Following a "series of meetings" a number of staffing issues were reviewed including the option of to explore recruitment through the community Employment schgeme, the email signed off by Anne Rabbitte stated. A recruitment campaign through various channels including cross-border advertising followed and interviews began on April 12th with the outcome of those interviews being "awaited".
A review of the recruitment drive will take place on April 25th to establish if additional measures are required to reinstate the full day service. Meanwhile, the issue was also raised with the Tánaiste during Dáil question time who assured Deputy Niamh Smyth he would "follow it up". "For the 40 service users who very much depend on that service they had a minimum of staff to begin with with only one full-time and two part-time and together with the support of CE staff they've been providing an incredible service," Deputy Smyth told the Tánaiste.
