The Taoiseach has promised more respite and residential care for adults with disabilities.
Yesterday on Lunchtime Live, one of his constituents, a woman known as ‘Anna’, spoke about her decision to abandon her disabled adult daughter because she feared the continued stress of caring for her would kill her.
Anna’s daughter had previously attacked her stepmother and Anna feared she might do the same thing to her younger siblings.
Despite numerous requests for help to the HSE, Anna felt she had no choice but to abandon her daughter.
Speaking to Newstalk, Mr Martin said he was aware of the case.
“We have been engaging with the services in that regard, the HSE and also with the Section 39 body involved,” he said.
“But I'm not going to comment any further, other than to say that there are quite a number of issues there in the case.
“But I don't think it's appropriate that I would comment publicly on it.”
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Mr Martin acknowledged that parents of disabled people are under “lots of pressures” and promised the Government was doing more to help them.
“We increased funding this year by 20%,” he said.
“We're working with the organisations and the HSE on the respite side and the residential side.
“Also then to create additional investments in therapies and so forth.
“But primarily we're trying to provide more in respite and in residential.”
Mr Martin added that the next Cabinet Committee on Disability would consider the impact of the housing crisis on carers and those in need of care.
Main image: Micheál Martin. Picture by: Alan Rowlette/RollingNews.
