I want to raise the Before We Die campaign. There was a “Prime Time” programme last Thursday night that featured people from the campaign. It is a group of elderly parents of adults with intellectual disabilities who are living at home who are worried that there is no plan in place for accommodation for their children when the elderly parents pass away. Some parents said they hoped their son or daughter passed away before them, which is a terrible thing to say, because they are so worried about what will happen to them afterwards. This is an issue we heard about regularly at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters in the last term and that I have raised several times in the Dáil and here. I raised this a few weeks ago, certainly some time since Christmas, and Senator Kyne indicated that he would arrange a debate with the Minister on the issue. That has not happened yet and I wonder if it could happen as soon as possible. Councils and the HSE are not working together to ensure a solution is brought forward. I have spoken to some councils, which have said they are willing to provide the accommodation - it sometimes needs to be adapted and it sometimes does not - but it needs a support or care plan in place by the HSE and that is not forthcoming. When the then Minister, Darragh O’Brien, introduced the Housing for All policy document in the last Dáil, it was indicated that the HSE and councils would work more closely together but that has not happened in all instances. We need to see that co-operation between the two bodies much improved so that there are solutions found for individuals with intellectual disabilities or disabilities of any nature and they can live an independent life without relying on elderly parents for care.

The other issue is the adaptation and mobility aid grants and housing aid for older people. Last year, many people applied for their grants to Cavan County Council. There was only so much money available for it and there were so many applications by priority 1 applicants that the money was all spent on those. That is rightly so - they have to prioritise people who might not be able to come home from hospital or a care institution without adaptions made to their homes or who need full-time care - but there are many people who might have issues with their roofs or windows and doors and the condition of their houses is deteriorating. If they could get the grant now, it would save money in the future because many older people, if they have issues with their roof, for example, are fearful of a storm coming and making it much worse and much more expensive to repair if the damage is not addressed now. I ask again that we have statements on these grants or an indication from the Minister that he will increase the money for the grants for this important work.