Sinn Féin spokesperson on Disability Rights and Carers Pauline Tully TD has welcomed the agreement of a cross-party motion – due to be discussed in the Dáil next week – that calls for adequate funding and resources to be made available to ensure the full re-opening of day services for people with a disability.

Teachta Tully said: 

“Next Tuesday, Sinn Féin private members time in the Dáil will be used to discuss a cross-party motion that seeks to secure adequate funding and resources to ensure the full re-opening of day services for people with a disability.

“I think this initiative is significant. For the first time in this Dáil term, all opposition parties and groups are coming together on an issue of vital importance. I want to commend all of the parties and groups that have engaged with this initiative, as well as the disability sector.

“The past seven months have been an unbelievably challenging time for all of those involved. Day services are reopening, but at a much reduced capacity and, as a result, people with a disability do not have access to the full services they need. People who were receiving five full days of pre-Covid support are now only receiving one, two and if lucky three days.

“To end this discrimination and to allow day-services to fully and safely reopen, financial assistance is required from the government. That is vital. 

“People with a disability should not be treated as an afterthought. They have the right to have their needs met and their concerns listened to. The government cannot continue to fail people with disabilities by this unacceptable lack of prioritisation and allocation of resources.

“I look forward to discussing this cross-party motion in the Dáil on Tuesday. I sincerely hope that the government will listen, will take what the opposition are saying on these matters on board and will support this motion by providing the necessary support to ensure day services can fully reopen.”

A copy of the cross-party motion is available at the following link – https://mcusercontent.com/ffc5ff2fa2294c89d2ff7598e/files/86854070-2295-4b1d-9320-62fa0ea56274/m021020.pdf