Disability Services Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-12 ============================================================ Robbie Gallagher (FF), Labour Panel Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach ar maidin. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House and I thank him for taking this Commencement even though it is not under his area of responsibility. Today, I wish to talk about the disability service for both adults and children in County Monaghan. We were delighted in November 2024 when the then Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte - now Senator - officially opened the Rainbow Lodge children's respite service in Urbalkirk, in County Monaghan. It was a development for which many parents had been fighting for many a day and we were delighted it opened up. The feedback from that facility is hugely positive under the management of Michelle Smyth and her team. They are doing an excellent job and the feedback I am getting from parents and everyone who visits the place is hugely positive. I commend everybody on that. It was meant to be a temporary facility and we were delighted that the HSE proceeded to purchase a building in Monaghan town with a view to having a permanent children's respite centre. I am glad to report that this is currently under planning with Monaghan County Council and we await that decision. Some concern has been raised, however, and people are looking for assurances that the Rainbow Lodge facility will remain operational until such time as a new purpose-built facility is up and running. If the Minister of State could give me a commitment on that this morning, it would alleviate some fears parents have voiced to me. The other issue I raise is the concern in the county of Monaghan regarding adult disability respite services. Currently, the numbers are such that people are concerned that the service will be very limited indeed. Some people have put forward the notion that when the facility out in Urbalkirk is no longer be required as a children's respite centre, it could be used as an adult respite centre. I do not know whether that would be suitable or whether it would fit the criteria laid down by the HSE but again I am looking for confirmation as to whether it could be used, and if not, what plans the HSE has for locating much-needed additional adult respite facilities in County Monaghan. The other issue is adult day services. We have some excellent providers within the county but their services are stretched and there is a need for more. The one in Monaghan is located on the grounds of St. Davnet's Hospital. The HSE, through HSE estates, has been very active in trying to locate another site and I understand it has identified a site that may be suitable. I am wondering what progress, if any, has been made in pushing that site on. There are some excellent providers. I know the Minister of State will be aware of them because he passes by a number of them on his travels to Donegal. One of them is Errigal Truagh Special Needs Centre, which has its own ambitious plans. They do an excellent job there. They have plans to extend the facility and we are working with them to advance that project as well. A number of others are also providing an excellent service in the county but they are stretched and additional capacity is required. What information has the Minister of State received from the Minister that would indicate we are actively seeking to progress additional adult respite services and day services within counties Monaghan and Cavan? --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-12/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:37+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-02-12