Madam, - I refer to the article (July 19th) by Carl O'Brien relating to the astounding number of people with intellectual disabilities still living in residential institutions more akin to a Charles Dickens novel.
I was shocked to learn that in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland, little has actually been done to reintegrate such people into our community. Whilst living in London in the 1990s I became a volunteer advocate for a lady in her mid-forties with intellectual disabilities who was also partially deaf. This lady had lived most of her adult life in an institution similar to those mentioned in the article. As part of a de-institutional programme she was moved to a house which she shared with three other people in similar circumstances with 24-hour support from care workers. There she had her own room, shared kitchen and bathroom.
A personal care package was devised to enable her to acquire the life skills she now needed for independent living. The difference this made to her quality of life, health and wellbeing would have to be seen to be believed. She was able to enjoy the simple things in life that we take so much for granted; like being able to watch her favourite television programmes when she wished, or the freedom to have a family member over for a cup of tea and a chat.
The fact that there is a lack of approved standards of care or inspections in these institutions, as highlighted in your article, makes a compelling and urgent case for the residents in such outdated institutions to be placed in suitable housing where the appropriate care and supervision can be given on a more personal level so that their full potential can be realised. Let's hope that this scandalous situation will be rectified and that the ball starts rolling with the residents in St Peter's being moved before Christmas 2008, as promised last week by the HSE, to the bungalows which were purchased for their use almost a decade ago.
It's time to stop treating people with intellectual disabilities as second class citizens and give them the necessary support to enable them to play a full part as equal members of our society. - Yours, etc.,
MARY McGILLYCUDDY,
Glenbeigh,
Co Kerry.