€10m fund to provide respite help for carers
Families caring for loved ones with special needs will benefit from greater respite services following an extra allocation of €10 million nationally to be ring-fenced for respite care.
Tony Canavan, Chief Officer for community healthcare in Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, told this month’s Regional Health Forum West meeting that the additional funding would mean an extra 1,500 respite beds throughout the three counties.
Some €8m will be used to provide new dedicated houses for respite, include one in the three counties.
The remaining €2m will be used for respite in home-sharing facilities and day facilities.
Mr Canavan said it would mean that families who received less respite care than they required would get some more hours and those who had not got any would now get some.