When will disabled people see action?

I WISH to highlight for your readers the apparent lack of concern which the Government is currently displaying with regard to the needs of the intellectually disabled people.

As you may know, a high-profile campaign involving NPSA, NAMHI, Irish Autism Alliance and the Federation of Voluntary Bodies, which represent nearly 160 organisations, began recently to try to impress on the Government the gravity of the present position.

This seems to be worsening daily with reports from providers that the cutbacks are severely restricting their ability to deliver service to existing clients, not to mention a total lack of funds for new clients including school-leavers this year, all forms of emergency respite care, cancellation of early intervention services in some health board areas, staff recruitment embargo, etc.

The Minister of Health constantly refers to the finance provided during Brian Cowen's time in that Department. While welcome at the time, this is of no relevance to the parents who are now awaiting service an estimated 2,500 plus people are on the waiting list.

My questions for Micheál Martin are simple:

1. When will the necessary funding be made available to deal with the waiting lists confirmed by the Government's own National Intellectual Disability Database?

2. When will the long-awaited Disability Bill be enacted, as this seems to be the only hope for disabled people to get justice?

It seems ironic that in the year of the Special Olympics, when the Government is happy to get the plaudits for having provided a splendid pool and other facilities to illustrate the potential of the intellectually disabled on a worldwide basis, many intellectually disabled are still restricted to a begging bowl approach for the most basic human rights in our own backyard.

Mary Murray,

Tralee,

Co Kerry