TDs warn 13,000 disabled people being shortchanged

MORE THAN 10,000 people registered with an intellectual disability are not getting the State care they need, TDs warned last night.

The Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee expressed concern that at least 13,000 disabled people were not being offered a suitable level of help.

The State’s financial watchdog looked into how almost e1 billion of public funds is being spent on caring for disabled people by 42 non-profit-making organisations.

The Comptroller and Auditor General John Purcell found that of the 20,000 people registered on the National Intellectual Disability Database, almost one in ten are “without a major component of service”.

He stated another 11,600 people also were waiting for an upgrade in care.

Green TD and PAC member Dan Boyle said the situation was unacceptable.

“That is a shocking figure and one that should shame us all.

“These are just the people on the register many other disabled people and their families have to carry the burden of their care.

“I know many people are offended by the amount of red tape they have to go through to get basic help. “One of my constituents had to have nappies they used weighed before they were allowed any more,” he said.

Health department secretary general Michael Scanlan admitted to the committee that information on the database was not accurate.

Fianna Fáil PAC member John McGuinness called on Health Department chiefs to get a grip on the situation.

“They are not treating this problem with the urgency it demands.

“The database they work from is simply not accurate and, as a result, many people are suffering because they are not getting the level of support they are entitled to. It is simply not good enough,” Mr McGuinness said.

The PAC heard the CSO has estimated the number of disabled people in the Republic to amount to some 8.3% of the population — around 320,000 people.