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Martin Ferris.
SINN Féin TD for Kerry, Martin Ferris has given a guarded welcome to the assurance from Minister with responsibility for people with disabilities, Finian McGrath, that he will visit St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort, to meet with service users, their families and staff of the facility.
This came about as a result of an invitation from Deputy Ferris.
St Mary of the Angels, which is run by St John of Gods, is planning to move its 78 high-need adult residents from bungalows on its Beaufort campus into the wider community, as they plan to rent houses in Milltown, Tralee, and Killorglin.
Martin Ferris speaking under topical issues in the Dáil, said; “The people I have spoken to have told me there has not been any consultation to date. I hope that will change. They are hugely concerned and worried because their loved ones have been at St. Mary’s for many years. As I said earlier, one individual has been there for 29 years and has known no other home. The parents and relatives of the residents are very satisfied with the services provided and speak glowingly of the staff and facilities. A lot of the money used in St. Mary of the Angels was raised by local people when the State failed them.”
Deputy Ferris further added that; “I also welcome the admission from Minister McGrath that there was no consultation and that, that was unacceptable to him. Minister McGrath needs to see for himself the wonderful facilities that are in place at St Mary of the Angels”.
Earlier this week, singer Daniel O’Donnell, who has visited the centre regularly when in Kerry, gave his support to keeping services at the facility.
