A report issued earlier this year suggested almost three-quarters of people caring for a loved one in their home have never received any respite.
The State of Caring Report 2024, commissioned by Family Carers Ireland saw 72% of over 2,100 respondents state they had not received any respite service for their loved one, which led the charity to increase pressure on the government to fulfil a commitment to support carers.
Budget 2025, announced earlier this month, allocated an extra €336m for disability services which will facilitate the expansion of respite provision but the charity urges politicians to do more to address the long-standing recruitment challenges facing the care sector.
A corner of the country particularly affected by a lack of respite services is north Donegal. Riverwalk Respite House in Carndonagh, on the Inishowen Peninsula, closed its doors to families during COVID. Two years on, families are continuing to struggle without any respite from the constant care of their loved ones.
Riverwalk Respite House is one of four respite centres throughout Co Donegal that provide services for children and adults with disabilities on alternate weeks. The other three are located in Stranorlar (Drumboe Respite House) near Ballybofey; Letterkenny (Ballymacool Respite House) and Mountcharles, (Seaview Respite House) west of Donegal town.
However, services at both Drumboe and Riverwalk were suspended in order to provide emergency residential accommodation for people with a disability who were facing homelessness during the pandemic.
One family has spent the past six and a half years trying to secure respite for their adult daughter, who attends a day service facility during the week, but has not had a night away from the family home since 2018.
Struggle
Her mother, who did not wish to be named, said she was sick of the empty promises offered by politicians.
“My daughter is almost 41 and it’s been left to myself and my husband to care for her all these years, we can’t do anything together as someone has to be at home the whole time,” she says.
“The last time we received respite was April 2018 and I haven’t had a day or night since. We have been offered one night in Letterkenny which is over an hour away which didn’t make any sense, so I turned it down.
“The day service my daughter attends was closed for six and a half months during COVID-19 and she didn’t understand why she couldn’t go so that was very hard, and I know every family in our situation faced the same struggle. But the pandemic is over and still we don’t have the support we need.
The last time we received respite was April 2018 and I haven’t had a day or night since
“They even cut my carer’s allowance when I reached pension age. There is no one to help us and no one to tell us who we should be contacting for any help that might be out there.
“A number of years ago I asked my local politicians to hold a public meeting where the HSE could let us know what is happening because this doesn’t just affect my family. There are a lot of families in need of respite across Buncrana, Carndonagh and Moville who have nowhere to go.
“But nothing ever happened. The politicians just palm us off because this isn’t affecting them. We have no choice and it is very, very hard. I will never vote again.”
Workforce shortages
Elsewhere in the county, respite services are at capacity with the HSE citing staffing challenges as the reason for the slow resumption of pre pandemic services.
“The Donegal Human Resources department is recruiting the approved nursing and health care assistant positions for Riverwalk House with the aim of reopening respite services to children and adults as soon as possible,” a HSE spokesperson said.
“Recruitment in the context of national workforce shortages is proving challenging.
“Donegal Disability Services is committed to restoring and enhancing respite provision for service users as a matter of priority.
Additional funding to support an increase in respite capacity in Donegal Disability Services was approved in June 2024 to extend respite to seven nights per week in Riverwalk Respite House when it reopens. The funding will also allow for the extension of respite to seven nights in Ballymacool Respite House along with the provision of evening and weekend respite services in the Ballaghderg facility in Letterkenny.
“These developments are dependent on recruitment of the necessary staffing complement to deliver extended services which is being progressed by the HSE Human Resources department.”
Increased capacity needed
Letterkenny Municipal District Councillor Gerry McMonagle has raised the respite crisis at several Regional Health Forum West meetings but says the response he has received from the HSE has been inadequate.
“The situation is getting worse and the three centres we do have are at capacity, with no idea of when Riverwalk Respite House will reopen,” he says.
Donegal Co Council Gerry McMonagle.
“Families living in the Inishowen Peninsula are being told they can go to Ballymacool in Letterkenny or Seaview in Mountcharles but these centres are up to two hours away with no public transport. They’re at capacity anyway so the places aren’t there.
“I have requested that the HSE build an extension to the Ballymacool House facility as the site is significant but all they will commit to is an extra two beds, which may be reduced to one in order to comply with HIQA guidelines.
“The bottom line is Donegal needs more respite centres to be built to meet the needs of the community but unfortunately that doesn’t appear very likely in the short term.”
Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte says she is aware of the issues regarding respite provision in Donegal.
Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State at the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
“Having met families in Donegal previously, I recognise that progress has been slower than desired, and increased capacity is needed,” she says.
“The Respite Investment Plan, which I published in September, aims to address these issues. Both the government and the HSE are committed to working with families and individuals to understand their specific needs and preferences, and to involve them in the design of respite supports.
“Since 2020, funding for respite care has increased by 58%, from €49.3 million to €134.4 million for 2024. This has allowed for a substantial increase in the number of respite sessions available.
“The Riverwalk Respite House will reopen seven nights a week thanks to increased funding. Where respite services have been reduced, the HSE is working to provide alternative supports such as direct payments and intensive support packages.”
Government funding for respite care has increased by 58% over the past four years, from €49.3m in 2020 to €134.4m for 2024.Budget 2025 has increased the Carer’s Support Grant from €1,850 to €2,000, granted an additional one-off payment of €400 to Carer’s Support Grant recipients along with a €20 monthly increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance.€100 million in grants were also announced to adapt homes for individuals with mobility challenges.
A report issued earlier this year suggested almost three-quarters of people caring for a loved one in their home have never received any respite.
The State of Caring Report 2024, commissioned by Family Carers Ireland saw 72% of over 2,100 respondents state they had not received any respite service for their loved one, which led the charity to increase pressure on the government to fulfil a commitment to support carers.
Budget 2025, announced earlier this month, allocated an extra €336m for disability services which will facilitate the expansion of respite provision but the charity urges politicians to do more to address the long-standing recruitment challenges facing the care sector.
A corner of the country particularly affected by a lack of respite services is north Donegal. Riverwalk Respite House in Carndonagh, on the Inishowen Peninsula, closed its doors to families during COVID. Two years on, families are continuing to struggle without any respite from the constant care of their loved ones.
Riverwalk Respite House is one of four respite centres throughout Co Donegal that provide services for children and adults with disabilities on alternate weeks. The other three are located in Stranorlar (Drumboe Respite House) near Ballybofey; Letterkenny (Ballymacool Respite House) and Mountcharles, (Seaview Respite House) west of Donegal town.
However, services at both Drumboe and Riverwalk were suspended in order to provide emergency residential accommodation for people with a disability who were facing homelessness during the pandemic.
One family has spent the past six and a half years trying to secure respite for their adult daughter, who attends a day service facility during the week, but has not had a night away from the family home since 2018.
Struggle
Her mother, who did not wish to be named, said she was sick of the empty promises offered by politicians.
“My daughter is almost 41 and it’s been left to myself and my husband to care for her all these years, we can’t do anything together as someone has to be at home the whole time,” she says.
“The last time we received respite was April 2018 and I haven’t had a day or night since. We have been offered one night in Letterkenny which is over an hour away which didn’t make any sense, so I turned it down.
“The day service my daughter attends was closed for six and a half months during COVID-19 and she didn’t understand why she couldn’t go so that was very hard, and I know every family in our situation faced the same struggle. But the pandemic is over and still we don’t have the support we need.
The last time we received respite was April 2018 and I haven’t had a day or night since
“They even cut my carer’s allowance when I reached pension age. There is no one to help us and no one to tell us who we should be contacting for any help that might be out there.
“A number of years ago I asked my local politicians to hold a public meeting where the HSE could let us know what is happening because this doesn’t just affect my family. There are a lot of families in need of respite across Buncrana, Carndonagh and Moville who have nowhere to go.
“But nothing ever happened. The politicians just palm us off because this isn’t affecting them. We have no choice and it is very, very hard. I will never vote again.”
Workforce shortages
Elsewhere in the county, respite services are at capacity with the HSE citing staffing challenges as the reason for the slow resumption of pre pandemic services.
“The Donegal Human Resources department is recruiting the approved nursing and health care assistant positions for Riverwalk House with the aim of reopening respite services to children and adults as soon as possible,” a HSE spokesperson said.
“Recruitment in the context of national workforce shortages is proving challenging.
“Donegal Disability Services is committed to restoring and enhancing respite provision for service users as a matter of priority.
Additional funding to support an increase in respite capacity in Donegal Disability Services was approved in June 2024 to extend respite to seven nights per week in Riverwalk Respite House when it reopens. The funding will also allow for the extension of respite to seven nights in Ballymacool Respite House along with the provision of evening and weekend respite services in the Ballaghderg facility in Letterkenny.
“These developments are dependent on recruitment of the necessary staffing complement to deliver extended services which is being progressed by the HSE Human Resources department.”
Increased capacity needed
Letterkenny Municipal District Councillor Gerry McMonagle has raised the respite crisis at several Regional Health Forum West meetings but says the response he has received from the HSE has been inadequate.
“The situation is getting worse and the three centres we do have are at capacity, with no idea of when Riverwalk Respite House will reopen,” he says.
Donegal Co Council Gerry McMonagle.
“Families living in the Inishowen Peninsula are being told they can go to Ballymacool in Letterkenny or Seaview in Mountcharles but these centres are up to two hours away with no public transport. They’re at capacity anyway so the places aren’t there.
“I have requested that the HSE build an extension to the Ballymacool House facility as the site is significant but all they will commit to is an extra two beds, which may be reduced to one in order to comply with HIQA guidelines.
“The bottom line is Donegal needs more respite centres to be built to meet the needs of the community but unfortunately that doesn’t appear very likely in the short term.”
Minister of State for Disabilities Anne Rabbitte says she is aware of the issues regarding respite provision in Donegal.
Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State at the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
“Having met families in Donegal previously, I recognise that progress has been slower than desired, and increased capacity is needed,” she says.
“The Respite Investment Plan, which I published in September, aims to address these issues. Both the government and the HSE are committed to working with families and individuals to understand their specific needs and preferences, and to involve them in the design of respite supports.
“Since 2020, funding for respite care has increased by 58%, from €49.3 million to €134.4 million for 2024. This has allowed for a substantial increase in the number of respite sessions available.
“The Riverwalk Respite House will reopen seven nights a week thanks to increased funding. Where respite services have been reduced, the HSE is working to provide alternative supports such as direct payments and intensive support packages.”
Government funding for respite care has increased by 58% over the past four years, from €49.3m in 2020 to €134.4m for 2024.Budget 2025 has increased the Carer’s Support Grant from €1,850 to €2,000, granted an additional one-off payment of €400 to Carer’s Support Grant recipients along with a €20 monthly increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance.€100 million in grants were also announced to adapt homes for individuals with mobility challenges.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: