Sir, – On November 5th I travelled to Dublin with my daughter, family and friends to collect my daughter’s National Young Carer of the Year award from the Carers Association. My daughter helps my wife and I, as primary carers, to care for her brother who has autism.
There are more than 5,000 young carers in Ireland, many of whom are in the inappropriate position of acting as the primary carer due to lack of available services. Resources for children with autism and other special needs are also reducing to the extent that multi-disciplinary teams are spread too thinly to offer an effective service.
I am very proud of my daughter’s award, but would like to live in a society which provides adequate services to those who need them, rather than one which provides waiting lists and excuses. – Yours, etc,
LIAM DUFFY,
Willowbank Court,
Midleton, Co Cork.