Taoiseach challenged on cuts in disability services

Almost 30 members of the Special Olympics team have received letters pointing out that services may not be available to them after the event, the Labour leader claimed in the Dáil.

Mr Pat Rabbitte joined other Opposition deputies in criticising the Government's performance on the provision of facilities for people with disabilities. He said that in about 11 days, Mr Ahern would share the stage in Croke Park with world figures and send out the message that "Ireland is a fit place to grow and develop" for a person with disability.

"The image that will go to the world outside is that everything is all right in Ireland, that we celebrate and honour our people with disabilities," he added.

Mr Rabbitte said that the Disability Bill had "collapsed in a shambles" in the last Dáil and the Taoiseach had subsequently sacked the Minister, although the Cabinet had approved the Bill. He said the Taoiseach should make the heads of the Bill available to the Opposition so that they could consult the people involved.

Mr Ahern said that people with disabilities were also interested in the Educational Disabilities Bill. "They have lobbied extensively to me to approve it," he added.

He said that as soon as that Bill was passed through the Oireachtas they would move on to the Disability Bill. Mr Ahern said he had been asked to withdraw the Bill so that there would be more extensive discussion on it.

"I have looked at the figures, and I would have to say to you, Deputy Rabbitte, directly, that, unfortunately, when you sat at the Cabinet table there was very little money put into the area of disability," he added.

"Now we are putting in money and we are committed to it." Mr Ahern said that in the past five years the Government had provided additional funding of €550 million in that area, as well as 1,700 additional residential places, mainly based in the community. Over the past few years, there had been a 10 per cent increase in the number of people availing of full-time residential places. In the case of respite services, the increase had been over 200 per cent, he said. He added that the numbers receiving multi-disciplinary services had increased by over 300 per cent.

Earlier, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said many of those who would have liked to protest outside Leinster House could not travel because they could not get respite hours.

"These people are demanding only their basic rights - a right to adequate healthcare, a right to access to necessary facilities, a right to educational facilities, and, above all, a right to equality of treatment," he added.

Mr Kenny produced a letter received by a parent of an 18-year-old, with a mental age of six months, who had been told this week that there would not be a day service for her in September.

"What kind of conscience has a Government that can send out such a letter to any parent who has given day and night, over many years, to deal with a case like this? There are 400 individuals with severe learning disabilities placed in unsuitable long-stay facilities," he added.

Mr Ahern said he had seen letters similar to the one produced by Mr Kenny.

"The Government is not trying to take away positions that are already there. . .that matter has been under negotiation between the Minister and the agencies and I am sure they can resolve that issue," he said.

Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) said that in St Vincent's Hospital there had been a 40 per cent reduction in respite care and there would be no weekend service from June.

"What does the Taoiseach say to those families from St Vincent's to Beaufort in Kerry who have been sent letters to tell them that there is nowhere for their profoundly handicapped children, aged 17 and 18, to go next year after they have left the current service?" he said.