Mattie McGrath: Urges urgent funding for adults with disabilities
Mattie McGrath spoke on 21 October about supports for people with disabilities during the latest lockdown, saying many adults and children with special needs have been left behind. He urged that services be maintained and that funding promised to providers be released so adults with disabilities can access day services and placements.
Allegations of service failure
He said a mother he raised in the Dáil on 21 September still had no placement for her adult child as of 21 October. McGrath accused the HSC of delaying funding to providers such as the Brothers of Charity - leaving places empty despite demand.
Impact on families and carers
McGrath described families and carers as being "at their wits end", stressing the loss of stimulation from school trips, visits and regular engagement that day services provide. He said young adults and children with disabilities are being sidelined and marginalised by current arrangements.
Funding and service maintenance
In reply, the minister said resourcing has been made available through the HSC to service providers to restore adult services. The minister also stated that, notwithstanding a move to level five restrictions, it is the view that those services should be maintained to enable adults to avail of them.
Calls for accountability and continued provision
McGrath accused the HSC of "dragging their feet" and said they are not fit for purpose for leaving the most marginalised behind. The minister concluded by saying officials will continue to work within the constraints posed by transmission of the virus to provide services for the groups raised.
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Deputy Matty McGrath Deputy Matty McGrath One round about the teacher of junior. The last lockdown, and now into another one. The people out there with disabilities, special needs children and adults, were left behind and they were still left behind. I have a mother who contacted me and I raised her here on the 21st of September, and she is still now the 21st of October, and there is no sign of a place for her adult child. She went to school, Cormack and Cashel, next to the school, and she did great work there but there is no place because the Brothers of Charity who want to give the child their place can't get the funding from the HSC. So there are many young adults and young children with disabilities, totally sidelined and marginalised and their parents are at their wits end and their carers because they need the stimulation of a school trip and a school visit and the whole engagement goes on there and the work that goes on there wants to salute the frontline workers. But this is shocking and you know this, this is what I'm saying, the HSC have dragged their feet all along and they're not fit for purpose. People have been left behind and these are the most marginalised of all. Resourcing has been made available through the HSC to the service providers to make sure that they can continue restoring adult services for adults with disabilities. Notwithstanding going to level five, it is our view that those services should be maintained to enable those adults to avail of those services. I would agree with you, I have fond memories of going to Scull Cormac, both as Minister for Education and more recently last year, a wonderful centre that does great work through a very good ethos. So certainly we will continue to do what we can within the constraints of the transmission of the virus to provide services for those that you've raised.
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