Carers urges Government to deliver services

FAMILIES and carers looking after more than 3,500 people with intellectual disabilities have called for Government action to provide long-awaited residential, respite and day services.

Carers have heard every excuse, said Jean Spain, president of NAMHI, the national body promoting the rights of people with intellectual disability. The estimated €40 million in dormant and offshore accounts should be used to clear waiting lists, she said, pledging to make it an election issue if the carers’ group is ignored.

“There are many reasons put forward as to why we have such long waiting lists: historic under- funding of services, empty public coffers, demographic changes. Ireland is not a poor country.

“There is an estimated €10m to €40m in dormant insurance accounts. Why can’t these be used to get rid of the waiting lists?” she said at the group’s 43rd AGM.

The Government must live up to its promises and produce the Disability Bill, she told the 300 delegates in Dundalk. In February 2002, the Government withdrew the last Bill to alleviate the anger of people with disabilities, at its restrictive measures.

Despite many publication dates from the Taoiseach and the Minister of State responsible for producing the Bill, Willie O’Dea, none has been published.

“Unless this Bill establishes enforceable rights to services, based on the prioritisation of need, we will be back again year after year with tales of heartbreak.

“It appears the new legislation will not be rights-based and rather than incur, once again, the anger of people with disabilities, it seems a deliberate decision has been made to delay the publication date until after the local and European elections,” Ms Spain said.

“What sort of message does this send out to people with disabilities and their families? Once again they are being asked to return to the end of the queue,” she added.