Councillor seeking urgent meeting with HSE over day centre closures

An Inishowen councillor has described the provision and delivery of respite supports and day services for children and adults as the “Cinderella” of the Health Service.

Speaking to Donegal Live, Cllr Albert Doherty (Sinn Féin) said: “The closure of Gaelic Parc Community Inclusion Hub (Carndonagh) and Cashel na Cor (Buncrana), due to a Covid outbreak at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Carndonagh and the subsequent re-deployment of HSE staff, means, once again, parents and loved ones must 'step into the breach' with what is, at times, totally inadequate home supports offered by the HSE.

“I have been contacted by a number of families and have repeatedly highlighted the issue of the lack of respite care in North Inishowen. I have now written to John Hayes (HSE Area Manager) and Edel Quinn (Head of Service Disability CHO1) asking what HSE response actions are underway, regarding adults and children having to remain at home.

“I have asked them to advise me on all of the locations affected and the time scale envisaged until full services are restored? I have also enquired whether the HSE has reserve panels available or on call and what agency panels are available?

“The situation has been going on for eight weeks and I would like to know, what and where is the evidence that the HSE, in response to the August outbreak of Covid -19 and the redeployment of staff then, prepared an emergency response plan for a further outbreak?Surely past and present Covid statistics merited and still require the creation and training of an emergency panel of supports for families? I intend to pursue with the HSE chief Executive,” concluded Cllr Doherty.

Councillor Martin McDermott

Meanwhile, Cllr Martin McDermott (Fianna Fáil) is seeking an urgent meeting with the HSE regarding the respite situation in North Inishowen.

He said: “I have been contacted by a number of families. There are people with children with disabilities who have not had respite for three years.

“The HSE would need to come and meet urgently with the public representatives here in Inishowen and the parents, to discuss what their intentions are for these children and these families and what it is going to do to alleviate this problem. What is the HSE going to do to get the children and families back to getting respite? Two, three years without respite for those families is just unacceptable.

“I personally just don't think the present situation is good enough. Every time there is an issue with covid, and it is not even with covid any more, after all, the country is opening up, people have started to move on with their lives, but yet and all the HSE has not moved on. It is actually further back now that it was before Covid and I think it is unacceptable, totally, totally unacceptable that the HSE can keep getting away with this and the families are left with no respite for three years,” said Cllr McDermott.