Paul Murphy TD slams Government over shameful Children’s Disability Services. A public meeting is being organised in Tallaght for parents “dealing with the horrors of navigating children’s disability services”, according to local TD Paul Murphy. The People Before Profit representative has been working with parents who have had to take high court cases in order to receive services they believe their child should be automatically entitled to.
He has stated; “Parents are having to fight for these services which are considered basic human rights in most countries. Our Government is failing the most vulnerable in our society. We need huge investment in every area of children’s disability services; from assessment of need to financial and respite support for parents and carers, also support for staff working in the children’s disability sector. These workers are underpaid and overworked..”
The Ombudsman for Children recently accused the state of a “profound violation of children’s rights” in the areas of mental health and disability care. Nowhere to Turn, a report released by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) described how children with complex disabilities are left in inappropriate settings for months as the government has failed to provide them adequate home supports.
The meeting will be addressed by Rachel Martin who founded FUSS (Families Unite for Services and Support) Ireland after two of her children were left in limbo. In a statement she said “For decades, services for our disabled and neurodivergent children/young people have been grossly underfunded and neglected. Every child deserves timely access to assessment, interventions, and appropriate educational settings. It is time for the government to be held accountable for their failures.”
The meeting will be held in The Maldron Hotel, Tallaght on Thursday 19th October, 7:30pm. Speakers will include; Rachel Martin founder of FUSS (Families Unite for Services and Support), a solicitor specialising in High Court cases against the state in relation to children’s disability services and Paul Murphy TD.
