'Completely let down' Carlow Election candidate following public meeting on disability services

Sinn Féin candidate for Carlow-Kilkenny Áine Gladney Knox has called on the Minister for Disability Anne Rabbitte to address the serious lack of services for children with additional needs across Carlow.

Ms Gladney Knox made her comments following a large public meeting with Sinn Féin Disability spokesperson Pauline Tully TD last night in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.

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Ms Gladney Knox said:

“The level of worry and stress that families face on a daily basis was in sharp focus at last night’s public meeting. 

“Parents told us their children have been completely let down by successive governments and Ministers. What we heard was a series of heartbreaking stories of children missing milestones, missing out on their childhoods, and escalating behavioural issues all culminating in families and parents pushed to absolute breaking point.

“One parent spoke of endless meetings and briefings with Ministers, government TDs, HSE representatives and department officials over the past decade, that have all amounted to very little.

“I was so touched by the deeply personal stories in the room last night, parents tearing up when they told of the immense love they have for their children, but that the stress, anxiety and worry of caring for their children was affecting them and their families. We heard of the massaging of waiting list figures by the HSE in an attempt to hide the real story of children with significant needs unable to access services.

“It’s clear there are zero services for children with complex needs in Carlow. Parents being told there are services, but the reality is they simply are not there.

“I would like to thank Pauline Tully TD who visited Carlow last night to detail Sinn Féin’s plan to address some of the significant issues faced by service users. She spoke of workforce planning, addressing the backlog with CORU, for the government to deliver a rights-based access to supports and services, and to ratify the UNCRPD Optional Protocol once and for all.

“This general election people have a very clear choice, to stick with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael who have failed their children or opt for a government that will address staffing and workforce planning, remove roadblocks in the system, deliver a right based approach to accessing services and we will ratify the UNCRPD Optional Protocol.”