FAMILIES of children with special needs gathered outside Dáil Eireann last week in a protest over the closure of a badly needed local respite service.
The Daughters of Charity Sancta Maria service at St Vincent’s Centre on the Navan Road in Dublin 7 was suspended last month, affecting 48 families who describe the respite care as
“a lifeline
?.
The HSE said the closure was due to
“unforeseen circumstances arising from a crisis
? and it expected normal services to be resumed this week.
It’s understood the respite unit was closed by the Daughters of Charity at the request of the HSE who needed it for an emergency situation and were unable to find another location to deal with it.
It was also decided that structural alterations were needed at the unit to provide a permanent solution to the crisis and funding has been allocated for the works.
The closure has left families devastated and exhausted as the respite gives them a badly needed break from the full-time care they provide for their children, many of whom suffer from intellectual disabilities.
Finglas dad Noel Kearney, who took part in last week’s protest, said he was angry and drained as his 16-year-old son had been due to get a week’s respite care just as the unit closed.
“I know there’s a crisis situation but the HSE is after putting all our families in a crisis,
? he told Northside People.
“We all have children with problems here and they don’t give a toss about the crisis they caused us. It’s not right.
“My young lad is up at 2.45am every morning, running around until all hours. I spend hours just driving him around in the car trying to settle him down. At the end of the day we all need a break.
“It’s not a joking matter. If we get ill and we’re not able to handle the pressure then we’re no good to our kids. And that’s what’s happening at the moment. He’s a big strong lad now and I’m just getting too tired to handle him.
“The service is crucial for us because it means we can chill out, relax and take a step back for a day or two and it just gives you that time to re-energise your batteries so you can cope again.
?
In a written response to a parliamentary question from Dublin West TD Patrick Nulty (Lab), the HSE said there was no alternative but to close the facility.
“The HSE regrets that the respite service at the Daughters of Charity is closed for a four week period due to unforeseen circumstances arising from a crisis,
? the response reads.
“The HSE acknowledges the distress this situation is causing to families.
?
“The Daughters of Charity frequently provide emergency response to families without any impact on respite services. It is very regrettable that in this particular situation, owing to a unique set of circumstances, the only safe response available was to provide an interim response from the Sancta Maria facility.
“All other options were considered before this decision was taken.
?
However, Deputy Nulty described the closure as
“disgraceful
? and pointed the finger of blame at the HSE.
“The responsibility for the postponement or cancellation of respite lies solely with the HSE because of their complete failure to put in place crisis management protocol and procedures and the families who so badly need the respite are now the victims of this,
? he said.
“These families are doing everything in their power to care for their loved ones but they do need support and anyone who has experience of caring for someone with intellectual disabilities knows that respite is essential for parents to recharge their batteries.
“The suspension of the service is, in my view, not the responsibility of any service provider; it’s to do with the HSE and their complete incompetence in this regard of crisis management and the failure of the Government to ring-fence and protect funding for disability services.
“It’s also worth noting that cuts to intellectual services in Dublin have been reduced significantly meaning service providers to people with intellectual disabilities are really under huge pressure now.
?
In response to a query from Northside People, the HSE said it was working with the Daughters of Charity to ensure that respite services could resume as soon as possible.
“Dublin North City Disability Service is allocating a sum of
?¬140,000 for the adaptation of a residential house to accommodate clients with specific needs and to provide the staffing resources to allow the Daughters of Charity to operate this facility,
? a spokesperson said.
“This will allow the Daughters of Charity respite facility service to be resumed as normal.
?