PARENTS ON THE MARCH FOR BETTER SERVICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN
RAIN fell from the grey sky, but spirits were high as more than 200 people marched to highlight the extremely poor services currently provided by the HSE for children with disabilities.
The Sligo protesters marched yesterday ( Monday) from the HSE’s Autism Service office to the Child and Mental Health Service ( CAMHS) building at Nazareth House.
Protestors said they were demanding better services for children including mental health services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, early intervention and respite care.
The ‘ Enough is Enough’ protest was part of a nationwide campaign that took place in over 22 other locations.
Yvonne Rainey, one of the organisers said the message for the HSE and the Government is that the group are not going away.
John Doyle from Grange whose son has cerebral palsy slammed the lack of respite care in the North West and called on the Minister for Health to act quickly.
“Respite in the North West is non- existent. Respite throughout the Country has become non- existent. The families and the carers have had enough, let’s get it sorted and get it restored to where it was,” said John.
Fiona Gallagher, whose son has Autism said there needs to be more training and more qualified Special Needs Assistants in Autism units across the country.
“We need compulsory training for Guards, A & E and hospital staff because in my experience I was told from very high up in the HSE, we don’t deal with these types of children. This is not good enough - our children are not second class citizens.
“While there is a breath in my body I will not stop to get these changes done. We will keep fighting as our children deserve better than what they get today,” said Fiona.
More than 11,000 signatures have been collected from around the county to help recognise the need for changes in these services and will be presented to the Dáil.
Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny said it is down to poor planning, management and policy in the past that has resulted in the lack of services today.
“We have to recognise that children are suffering and families are going through hardships and we cannot simply sit at home and do nothing. We have to have our voices heard and I know myself and the other deputies in our constituency will raise our voice loudly in the Dáil so that the Minister and Government recognise the need for change,” said Mr Kenny.
Shelly Fletcher one of the organisers of the Sligo protest said: “I want everyone to know that we are going to fight for every single child and we are never going to go away.”