The HSE says an investment in respite services in Kerry has led to an increase in outreach support for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Chief officer of Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, Michael Fitzgerald said an additional 5,000 outreach support hours were allocated in 2020 to service users in Kerry.
He said in 2020, this model gave 50 people with disabilities three eight week blocks of outreach support- with four hours allocated per week.
He said last year, 75 people benefitted from this outreach model.
Michael Fitzgerald was responding to Cllr Michael Foley's motion at the HSE South Regional Forum meeting in which he called on the health executive to provide more respite beds for North Kerry.
Mr Fitzgerald said outreach respite for adults with intellectual disabilities is provided by various agencies funded by the HSE and each client receives around 96 hours per year.
He said that there were four beds for adults in Cois na Féile Respite House in Kilmorna, Listowel where the service is managed by Kerry Parents and Friends Association.
Mr Fitzgerald said that Kerry Parents and Friends also provide adult respite beds in Brooke Lodge, Listowel, Tearmann Lodge, Rathmore and in Glebe Lodge, Castleisland.
Regarding children, he said there are eight respite beds available for under 18s in the county - four in Killorglin and the remainder in Listowel.
Mr Fitzgerald said that during the pandemic, the county's total number of respite beds for under 18s with intellectual disabilities had been reduced to four.
However, since March, respite beds at The Arches in Killorglin and Abhaile Respite in Listowel - both of which are operated by St John of God Services - have been fully restored to eight.
