THE parents of more than 20 CoAction service users have sent a solicitor’s letter to its CEO highlighting their desperate need for respite care.

THIS ARTICLE IS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THIS WEEK'S SOUTHERN STAR NEWSPAPER.

Solicitor, Brian Harrington, sent the letter on September 18 on behalf of parents living in the greater Bantry and Glengarriff areas, claiming the organisation has continuously failed to provide adequate and appropriate respite care.

Each of the families mentioned in the letter has a child, or an adult, with a permanent disability, who has been referred for respite care, or has significant ongoing care and support needs.

The solicitor suggested that the need for respite should be determined by the individual needs of the service user, and the demands placed upon their parents, family members and other unpaid careers.

One of the parents told the Southern Star that they have no wish to engage in an adversarial way with CoAction, but they want to start a conversation about the need to improve access to respite care and other supports.

Mr Harrington said many of his clients provide substantial and, in some cases, continuous care and support to their family members.

This care may include personal care, supervision, assistance with daily living, communication, behavioural and emotional support, transportation, appointments and other supports arising from the service user’s disability.

“The absence of appropriate respite can place a significant and sustained burden on family carers whether or not the service user requires formal 24-hour care,” he stated.

“It would appear that some of my clients have been without any meaningful respite care service for a number of years and have been informed by CoAction West Cork that there are no respite services currently available to them and that respite will not be available to them for the foreseeable future,” he added.

Mr Harrington said his understanding is that CoAction West Cork is at liberty to provide respite and other disability services in West Cork under a funding arrangement with the Health Service Executive.

And he maintained that the organisation is obliged to assess and respond to each service user’s needs individually, rather than by way of “a blanket rule.”

Mr Harrington said the constitutional rights of his clients are not being met and he concluded: “In law, there is no justification for any failure to provide such a critical and necessary service. And he requested that his clients’ concerns be addressed within 14 days.”

The Southern Star contacted CoAction and the Health Service Executive and requested a comment before going to press. A spokesperson for CoAction acknowledged receipt of the request, and said it has been forwarded to appropriate colleagues for their attention.