Funding secured for services for people with special needs

By Kernan Andrews

Funding for services for eight people with profound to severe disabilities, who are due to graduate from the Rosedale Special Needs School in Renmore, have been secured.

The uncertainty regarding the funding has been a source of stress for parents. However a breakthrough came following a meeting between the Minister for Health James Reilly and minister of state Kathleen Lynch, and Galway TDs Brian Walsh, Seán Kyne, Derek Nolan, and senator Fidelma Healy Eames. As a result, the money to continue providing the services was found by the HSE within the existing health budget.

“These young adults were receiving an excellent service and that care will now continue,” said Dep Nolan. “The services to be provided will not be a sticking plaster service, but one fitted to the needs of the service user.”

However Dep Nolan said it is “vital we move away from this crisis approach” to the provision of services for school leavers with disabilities.

“These are the most vulnerable people in our society and we owe a much higher duty of care,” he said. “The last minutes scramble to secure places must end. The number of children who will need places in 2013 are already known to us. We need to put that plan in place much earlier so families can have confidence and certainty that the needs of their children will be met