Cuisle centre closure
Deputies Tóibín and Naughten oppose the closure of the Cuisle holiday centre for people with disabilities and ask for the decision to be paused while another operator is found. They say it is unique, heavily used and supported by public and donated funds.
On the issue of respite services, outside the gates of Leinster House today hundreds of people are protesting the closure of the Cuisle centre. It is the only centre in the country that offers holiday services for people with disabilities. That centre is to close at the end of the month. Some 49 people work there and they provide a service like no other. No similar access is available any other part of the country to people with disabilities seeking holidays. A pilot scheme will run next year, but the idea of such a scheme is to research the viability of a project. The Cuisle centre, however, will close even before that pilot project starts, never mind when a decision is made on its findings. I ask the Taoiseach to ensure that the closure of the centre does not happen.
Comment on this
The Irish Wheelchair Association, IWA, said it is determined to close the Cuisle holiday resort in 16 days, regardless of capital funding being put in place. This is the only wheelchair-specific holiday resort in Ireland and the UK that can support those with a high level of dependency. Hundreds of thousands of euro in public funds and donations have gone into the Cuisle centre, where some 48 people are employed. I am requesting that the IWA pause this decision until another operator is put in place. I want an answer as to why the IWA is prepared to lock the doors when the community is willing to keep this facility open as an ongoing concern.