Tipp respite services planned to return in September
The HSE has confirmed that Thurles-based respite services are planned to resume in the Daughters of Charity Anusha Day Service from next month. This confirmation comes following representations made by Thurles-based TD Jackie Cahill to the Minister for Disability, Anne Rabbitte. Minister Rabbitte visited Tipperary earlier this summer at the request of Deputy Cahill to engage with a number of disability services and service users around the county.
Following a visit to the Daughters of Charity day centre in Stafford St, Nenagh with Minister Rabbitte, Deputy Cahill has continued to engage with adult services in Tipperary for people with disabilities. This latest development, and positive news for service users and their families in Tipperary, comes after a recent round of representations made by Deputy Cahill to Minister Rabbitte.
Commenting on this, the Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary said: “The last year and a half have been exceptionally challenging on people with disabilities and their families. Respite services are absolutely essential for families and service users after a very trying eighteen months, providing a much-needed break for those who need it.”
In response to Deputy Cahill’s questioning the reopening of respite services in Thurles, the HSE said: “Rehab Care provides a centre based Respite Service in North Tipperary, which is located in both Thurles and Nenagh and provides a service to 58 services users. However, due to Covid, the Respite Residential Service in Thurles has had to temporarily change purpose and operate as an Isolation Unit.”
Deputy Cahill clarified that: “Rehab Care relocated the provision of their Thurles Respite Service to Nenagh with reduced capacity to comply with social distancing criteria and ensure the health and safety of all services users. The HSE has informed me that service users who were availing of Thurles-based respite beds were facilitated in Nenagh and transport was also provided.
“I also understand from the HSE that all requests for respite nights were facilitated and the staff in both centres must be credited for their work in this regard. Our frontline workers, right across the board, really are the heroes of this pandemic.”
“I am delighted to receive confirmation that Rehab Care and the HSE Disability Services are planning on reopening the Thurles Respite Service in September and they assure me they are continuing to monitor the situation. This will come as a great relief to many service users and their families in the area and I would like to thank Minister Anne Rabbitte for working with me on this matter”.