4 May 2018
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
People with disabilities in Cork are to benefit from new Government investment in respite services. Fine Gael Senator, Tim Lombard, announced that the Government funded Respite Development Programme for 2018 will mean additional services for Cork, with the following service providers receiving investment:
- Brothers of Charity Services Southern (Rosmini Resource Centre Bandon): development of a “post day” service programme for clients living at home.
- Co-Action West Cork: day/evening provision in the community, day socialising respite.
- St. Joseph’s Foundation: weekend sessions from base, increase service level at Liskennett Centre.
- COPE Foundation: develop Saturday club for family respite
Senator Lombard said: “These service increases, projected for delivery in Q2 2018, will be of great benefit to people with disabilities in Cork, as well as their families and carers.
Senator Lombard
“…In the last Budget an additional €10 million was allocated to improve respite services. This is now being use to provide new centre based residential respite and alternative respite services for people with a disability and their families and carers.
“Theannouncement is designed to help people with disabilities in Cork to lead more independent lives and to have more of a say in their care.
“It is also hugely important that carers look after their own health and well-being, and ensuring we have appropriate respite services available locally is critical to that.
“This €10 investment in respite care nationally is additional to the respite services the HSE has already committed to provide as part of its National Service Plan 2018. This plan targets the provision of more than 45,500 day places and 182,500 overnights for more than 6,320 people with a disability who avail of these services.”
