Respite and residential services for persons with intellectual disabilities are in crisis. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities provides the right to live independently in the community with choices equal to others. They must have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community services, including personal assistance. In Ireland these rights are honoured more in the breach than in the observance. The true level of need for residential and respite services is unknown and, consequently, there is no plan to deal with this, meaning that too often the HSE responds to emergency situations. A recent submission to the Oireachtas disability matters committee by the organisation Before We Die is worth quoting. It sets out the stark nature of the current situation. It states, "Our campaign started with a simple question: 'Who will provide the care my daughter needs when I am no longer able to care for her?'" It continues, "It is not uncommon to hear parents say; I would hope my son or daughter goes before me. Then at least I know he or she is safe. That’s how bad the situation is." It further states: There is an urgent need for systemic change in disability services. It needs to focus on housing and care for adults with [intellectual disability] whose parents are aging and no longer able to provide full-time care. Over 2,000 adults with [intellectual disability] live with parents aged 70 [years] or older, with 500 parents being over 80 [years of age] and some even in their 90s. What is needed urgently and what is called for in that submission is, first, an emergency funded plan in budget 2027 to address the needs of parents in their 70s, 80s and 90s who cannot wait for systemic change. The Government in the medium term needs to publish a fully funded and resourced five-year plan for community living for people with intellectual disability. It should be prepared jointly by the Departments of disability and housing, the HSE, local authorities and the approved housing bodies. I support this important motion and thank the Social Democrats for bringing it forward at this time.

Sentiment score: 0.18