Long Stay Residential Care Charges “is a Mean Charge”

Press Release, 21st February 2007

Catherine Murphy, TD (Ind) yesterday in the Dáil again heavily criticized the new practice of charging persons with intellectual and physical disabilities for their long term residential care, leaving most with little or no means to buy toiletries and clothes or fund any social life.  She requested that a review of the impact of the charge on such persons be carried out in order that the unique circumstances in which such people, and their families, find themselves.

“I call for an evaluation of the impact of the charges on people in institutions for whom small treats such as being able to choose their own clothes and shoes or going to the pictures are being put in jeopardy. The charges are also impacting on family members with limited means who may wish to take their relatives out of institutions. I do not think the charges are in the interest of patients.”

Murphy also went on to highlight that “many individuals living in residential institutions, who aspire to live in capital-assisted houses but have not had the opportunity, are doing the same sheltered work as those living in capital-assisted houses, yet there is a very significant difference in the income they are allowed to retain.”

She concluded in stating that “much fundraising is done by parents and friends to keep residential institutions functioning and many of these people are elderly.” However that she has “met pensioners who are making contributions from their pensions towards the cost of keeping their children in institutions.”

View the full debate at View Source , or

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Posted by catherinemurphy on February 21, 2007. Filed under Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.