The Government is failing people with disabilities and must provide vital respite services. That's according to Cavan Monaghan TD and Sinn Féin spokesperson on Disability, Deputy Pauline Tully who insists the Government is not listening to people with disabilities.
Speaking ahead of a Sinn Féin motion, which will be debated in the Dáil on Tuesday, she said it's time for the Government to give people with disabilities and their families a break, and provide them with vital respite services, care and support.
Deputy Tully told Northern Sound that respite and short break services play an essential role in supporting family carers and people with disabilities, yet three quarters of families get no respite at all.
She added that Sinn Féin's motion this week calls on the Government to work with stakeholders and service providers across the sector to address their immediate workforce and facility needs.
"The Government isn't listening to people with disabilities. It's time they gave them and their families a break, and provide vital respite services. It's failing on assessments of need, services and respite care.
"There is now a significant and growing level of unmet need in terms of respite care, with less than 5,200 people receiving a respite service in 2022 despite an estimated 20,000 people or more with intellectual disabilities, physical and sensory disabilities, and autism living with family.
"Scandalously, fewer people received respite services in 2022 than in 2018, when more than 6,300 families were in receipt of respite care. Our motion urges the Government to leverage all existing capacity in the sector to support the reopening of closed respite centres, maintain existing capacity in the sector, and prevent further closures.
"They must also implement a multi-annual strategic workforce plan to expand services to address extreme levels of unmet need. Adopting these measures would give people with disabilities and their families the care, services and support they need," said Deputy Tully.
