Brendan Smith demands urgent restoration of IWA day services
Brendan Smith raised concerns about prolonged disruptions to in-person day services at the Irish Wheelchair Association Centre in Cavern Town, saying the shortfall has affected 40 service users and their families and must be resolved without delay. He told the Taoiseach that a business case for 1.5 whole-time equivalent staff had been submitted twice to the HSE and said prior commitments to provide the necessary resources must be honoured.
For more than a year there had been very limited in-person day services at the Irish Wheelchair Association Centre in Cavern Town. The disruption has affected 40 service users, their families and IWA local staff, and service provision ceased in April.
Brendan Smith said a business case was submitted twice to the HSE requesting 1.5 whole-time equivalent staff to restore services, describing the request as very reasonable and insisting the necessary resources must be provided without further delay.
The Taoiseach acknowledged the concern, confirmed the recent cessation of services was due to staffing shortages and said a phased resumption began in August following a recruitment drive. The Taoiseach said he will raise the matter again with the HSE and noted collaboration between the HSE and the IWA on a business case for long-term support, with an outcome described as imminent.
Smith reported that service users and families are disappointed, annoyed and frustrated, and that local IWA staff share serious concerns.
Service disruption and impact
For more than a year there had been very limited in-person day services at the Irish Wheelchair Association Centre in Cavern Town. The disruption has affected 40 service users, their families and IWA local staff, and service provision ceased in April.
Request to the HSE and staffing case
Brendan Smith said a business case was submitted twice to the HSE requesting 1.5 whole-time equivalent staff to restore services, describing the request as very reasonable and insisting the necessary resources must be provided without further delay.
Government response
The Taoiseach acknowledged the concern, confirmed the recent cessation of services was due to staffing shortages and said a phased resumption began in August following a recruitment drive. The Taoiseach said he will raise the matter again with the HSE and noted collaboration between the HSE and the IWA on a business case for long-term support, with an outcome described as imminent.
Families and staff reaction
Smith reported that service users and families are disappointed, annoyed and frustrated, and that local IWA staff share serious concerns.
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Transcript
Taoiseach, as we all know, throughout the country the Irish Wheelchair Association provide very valuable and important supports to their service users. These are essential supports for persons with disabilities. For more than a year there has been very limited in-person day services at the Irish Wheelchair Association Centre in Cavern Town. This has affected 40 service users and their families. I have spoken to those people regularly and they are most disappointed, absolutely annoyed and understandably very frustrated that adequate in-person day services are not available to them. This is also a source of serious concern to IWA staff locally. A business case was submitted twice to the HSE for the provision of 1.5 whole-time equivalent staff which would resolve the issue, a very reasonable request by any measurement. This must be resolved without further delay, Taoiseach. Commitments were given to me and to others previously that the necessary resources would be provided and that must be honoured now after what has been a totally unacceptable delay. Thank you. Thank you. I thank you Deputy Smith for raising this issue. It is something that has been raised in the House. It is an issue that is causing concern over the last number of months. Regrettably, recently day services ceased due to staffing shortages and that has caused out of the stress the service users, their families and the Irish wheelchair association person at local level. Service ceased in April. My understanding is that in August the service was to resume on a began resumption on a phased basis following a successful recruitment drive. I will raise this again with the HSE. I understand it was collaboration between the HSE and the IWA in respect of this on a business case for long-term support requirements and that an outcome of this was imminent.