Cork County Council is being called to take responsibility for and act on the current situation regarding Housing Adaptation Grants for those with disabilities in Cork.

Cork North Central Senator for Fine Gael Colm Burke confirmed he has been making representations on behalf of Lacey Kiely and her family, whose application for an Adaptation Grant for their house was approved in July 2008.

Mr Burke said: "They received the plans from Cork City Council for this work in November 2008 but no work has been done as of yet. Lacey has severe physical and intellectual disabilities. She is now 20 years old and the family have been waiting seven years for this work to be carried out. Every day she has to be lifted out of bed, washed, clothed and tube fed, and her parents have provided this care for her to the highest possible standard. In return, it is wrong that the State and the Local Authority are not providing the support and responding to their needs.

-- Advertisement --

"We are currently in a situation whereby no one is taking responsibility for the situation the Kiely family find themselves in, and the sheer lack of accountability is simply not acceptable. The family are now so frustrated that they have stopped talking to people as they feel they are not being listened to."

There are currently 57 cases where work is required to be carried out on local authority houses for people with disabilities.

(CD/IT)