Dear Sir,
In light of the ongoing debates during recent referendums, it is intriguing to observe how politicians who proclaim support for carers and disabled individuals plan to change their words into effective disability services. This journey should begin with the stringent supervision and answerability of high-ranking officials within both the Department of Health and the HSE. We should rectify the wrongful perception that misappropriation and inefficient utilisation of public funds within our healthcare system is a problem without victims.
Elected representatives who persistently neglect to hold top-ranking, tenured management scapegoats for the shortcomings of disability services are facilitating their deficient performances. The misuse of public funds has resulted in either charities stepping in to cover for inefficiencies or parents being pressed to bring the HSE to court. We are nearing a time when disabled individuals will not have to rely on charity but view the services they need to participate in society as a fundamental right.
To fund this, a much stricter and outcome-oriented method to track HSE expenditure must be put into place. We should also adopt a no tolerance policy towards health service managers who continually fail to ensure working disability services. It’s noteworthy to state, ‘One can assimilate into Irish society, a feat that may seem impossible in German or Japanese cultures.’
Yours faithfully,
Ruary Martin,
Dublin 18.