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Ged Nash Slams Two Year Waiting Time to Access Respite Care for Children in Louth

12 November 2024

Local TD, Ged Nash of Labour, has slammed a two-year waiting time for Louth children with a disability to access respite care.

Deputy Nash said, “A two year waiting list to access these vital services for children with a disability is totally unacceptable” and added that “these outrageously long waiting times must be addressed now”.

Details on the waiting list were provided to deputy Ged Nash in response to a Parliamentary Question by the Louth Labour TD in the Dáil last week. In the response, the HSE confirmed to deputy Ged Nash that “The average wait time to access respite care is approximately 24 months. ““

Deputy Nash added that “It is unacceptable that families are waiting on average two years for respite. Access to respite care is critical both for carers and for those who are being cared for.

Louth TD, Ged Nash, also asked the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth, deputy Roderic O’Gorman for the number of children currently under the care of both the South Louth and North Louth Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) who are on a waiting list for respite care.

On this question the HSE confirmed that “there are currently 151 children on the waiting list for respite in Louth Disability Service” and that “55 of these children are seeking day respite and 96 are awaiting overnight respite.”

Commenting on the high number of children on the waiting list for respite, Labour’s Ged Nash said “All the time I am representing carers who are burned out and who need a break. We need to do better by our carers, and we need to start by ensuring timely access to respite services in Louth, and by abolishing the means test for the carers’ allowance.”

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