Sinéad Gibney

Overall sentiment: 0.17
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I thank Deputy Quaide for all of his work on this motion. I thank Deputies Cairns and Cian O'Callaghan for regularly using their leaders' time to push this issue. I will also acknowledge one other person from our party, namely, former Councillor Dave Quinn, who is representative of this community, of families who essentially are caring for adults with intellectual disabilities, knowing that they are living in a State which now has an unwritten policy. That is what this is. After years and years of inaction, it becomes an unwritten policy that the expectation is that for adults with intellectual disabilities, their ageing parents will take care of them and if they are fortunate enough, their estate might be able to assist with their independent living after they die. Like Deputy O'Callaghan, I think it is regrettable that we have only got the speech now. There was plenty I wanted to pick up on. I will pick up on one point that the Minister made towards the end of her speech. She said, "Every effort is made by the HSE to provide residential services as close to family and natural supports as possible", having regard to will and preference. Like other Deputies here, I have been fortunate enough to meet the inspiring families in my constituency who are dealing with this challenge. I want to talk about a specific story. A person approached the HSE. They were in a fortunate enough position to be able to say that they would donate to the HSE a home. They found a location where they knew the services were adequate for their child's needs. They said they would give the HSE this home so they would know that their adult child was able to stay in that location. The HSE's response to that offer was that it would take the home but could not guarantee where the child would be placed. They offered a house, and that was the response they got. That does not spell "every effort" to me. The Before We Die campaign has been incredible in amplifying this issue and bringing it to national attention. We, as a party, are going to continue to maintain that pressure here in the Dáil Chamber and at every opportunity that we get to ensure we move from the listening mode, which the Government is clearly in, to the action that is required. This State, sadly, has still not embraced the rights-based model for disability that is espoused in the UNCRPD. At best, we have moved towards a medical model of disability, but in many ways, we remain rooted in a charitable model of disability, which fails to recognise the fundamental rights that should be enjoyed by every person in this State, regardless of whether or not he or she has a disability. I acknowledge the families to whom I have spoken. Three mothers recently came to a clinic of mine, namely, Claire, Noreen and Nessa. I want to specifically mention the "The ID Zone Podcast" that they have put forward. That is another example of how this community is supporting each other where the State has failed them.

Sentiment score: 0.17