Disability Matters: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-22
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

I will keep it very short. The Minister of State is very welcome. As we all know, job roles within disability services are extremely specialised and cover very distinct elements of care. I worked within disability as a community worker in the Irish Wheelchair Association many years ago and so I know there are different roles involved. There are personal assistants and care assistants, who provide intimate and personal care every day. Social care workers help to develop care plans and manage the day-to-day tasks designed to increase the client's independence.
I have to be very careful with what I say here because of a possible industrial relations dispute within disability services. I think it is very preventable. It is due to a lack of strategic planning and understanding of what is needed on the ground. A number of social care workers have been put in place to fulfil personal and care assistant roles, meaning those social care workers are not able to fulfil their job properly and the same applies for personal care assistants. I might liaise with the Minister of State further about it. It is really important for HSE staff and management staff within disability services to be cognisant of the various different roles required to run the service.
I am delighted the Minister of State is in this role because I know she will do a really good job in it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-22