Houses of the Oireachtas

01/30/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/30/2023 08:16

Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth to meet for engagement with stakeholders regarding Disability Services

30 Jan 2023, 14:10

The Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth will meet tomorrow, Tuesday 31 January for engagement with stakeholders regarding Disability Services.

The meeting will be broadcast from Committee Room 4 at 3pm and the discussion will hear from representatives from:

· Ms Amanda Cooper, Head of Services, Down Syndrome Cork (Remotely)

· Ms Cara Steinmetz, Committee Member, Down Syndrome Cork (Remotely)

· Ms Olivia Flanagan, Parent, Down Syndrome Carlow

· Ms Lucy Moran, Parent, Down Syndrome Carlow

· Ms Aileen O'Donovan, Parent, The West Cork Down Syndrome Support Group

· Mr Barry O'Donovan, Parent, The West Cork Down Syndrome Support Group

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Kathleen Funchion TD said "tomorrow's meeting is a timely opportunity for our Committee to engage first-hand with those who are impacted by the essential provision of Disability Services.

It comes only days after Minister Roderic O'Gorman told the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that he looks forward to taking responsibility for the "significant challenge" of the Government's disabilities brief from March 1 when it would move from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

We will look to get first-hand insights on delays in accessing services, the impact on these services from difficulties in recruitment and retention of staff, the increases in waiting lists for Assessment of Need (AON) tests for children, delays in speech and language therapy waiting lists and on waiting times for occupational therapy and physical therapy."

Read more on the work carried out by The Joint Committee on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration & Youth

You can view the meeting in Committee Room 4 on Oireachtas TV