Council Urged To Recognise Ageing Parents Caring For Adult Children With Intellectual Disabilities

Imagine spending your entire life caring for your son or daughter, knowing that you won't be here forever, but having no idea what will happen to them when you're gone. For many ageing parents of adults with intellectual disabilities, that is a very real and deeply distressing fear.

A motion brought before Clare County Council is calling for urgent action to plan homes and support for these adults while their parents are still alive, rather than waiting until a family crisis or bereavement. It comes against the backdrop of a national shortage of residential placements, with the HSE recently announcing a pause on new placements requiring additional funding for the remainder of the year.

Alan Morrissey was joined by Ennistymon Fianna Fáil councillor behind the motion, Shane Talty, along with Shannon Fine Gael councillor Tony Mulcahy and Kilrush Independent councillor Ian Lynch, both of whom have personal experience of raising children with additional needs.