I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this very important motion, which Aontú will support. According to the Disability Federation of Ireland, there are between 5,000 and 6,000 households with a social housing need due to disability and a total of 10% of everyone on the waiting list are people with disabilities. I want to raise an important issue in my constituency. A senior citizen who has been caring for her daughter with Down's syndrome for decades is afraid to die, not because she is afraid of death in itself but because she is afraid of the uncertainty about where her adult daughter will end up. This is a child, now an adult, who is being cared for in the most loving and special way and is such a valued member of his family. Unfortunately, however, he is an only child and there is no remaining close family member. This mother is well into her 70s. It is a shocking story that will stay with me forever. It is so sad to think there is no central agency where this family can go for help. There are 2,000 adults with disabilities living with carers aged over 70. This family in Mayo are not alone; indeed, I have met many others. It is sad that in the region of just 2% of these families have a housing plan. The vast majority of these 2,000 families are living in fear of dying. This issue is very important. There are solutions and many of them are raised in the motion. We can no longer have a situation where families are passed between the HSE, local authorities and service providers in the various regions of the country. Nobody is owning the problem and families are being passed from pillar to post. It is very important that the Minister address this. One agency should be tasked with leading out and developing, in conjunction with the families, a plan for them. I urge the Minister to do everything she can to achieve this.

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