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Going back to school fueled anxiety in some homes this week.
However, for the families of people with disabilities, many are still awaiting the return of day services.
While they are opening slowly, it is a much smaller service.
On average, a person who spent five days a week in day services now spends two days a week in that service.
Michael Comerford is 18 years old and lives in Co Kilkenny with his mother Linda, his sister and two brothers.
He finished his special school this year, but before that happened, a bus funded by the Department of Education stopped at his door every day and took him to school in Carlow, 45 minutes away, picking up others at the road.
Her school, like all the others, was closed when the restrictions were introduced in March, and like general education students, there was no graduation or event to celebrate her senior year at the school that offered her so much.
Not surprisingly, when asked where he would like to attend day services, he chose the one behind the special school in Carlow.
Your friends are there; training for the Special Olympics is there and ultimately where he is happiest.
At the moment, Michael is awaiting final confirmation on his day service, which is expected to begin the week of September 14.
But, the big question is, how will it get there?
Michael cannot take advantage of the bus service he used to get because he is 18 years old.
His mother Linda could bring him in, but it would mean that her remaining three children couldn’t go to school.
His four children attend different schools.
Michael’s sister also attends a special school because she has austim and her anxiety was so strong during the confinement that there were two admissions to the hospital at that time.
Linda cannot take the time of the day to travel to Carlow with her oldest son every morning, so she presented a business case to the Health Services Executive for Michael’s transportation, but it was rejected.
Transportation appears to be a big problem for families of people with disabilities across the country.
Caregiver Moira Skelly, who spearheaded the launch of the Family Carer emergency card in Ireland, this week described the situation as “ridiculous.”
The HSE has recognized that there are challenges in the provision of transportation services due to the orientation of social distancing that limits the number of people that can be facilitated on each trip.
In a statement, it said it is “addressing this issue within available resources and in line with public health guidelines.”
Linda Comerford, like other parents of people with disabilities, believes that their children should be a part of reopening the country.
“This that we are together in this, I no longer believe it, we have fallen far behind,” he said and asked the Government to “step forward and realize that it is leaving a sector of society behind.” .
The Taoiseach spoke to Linda Comerford in recent weeks when she led a protest on the issue of the delayed reopening of day services outside the Dáil.
Although she appreciates you coming out to meet her, Linda said that a trail is not a constructive place for such discussion and requests a constructive face-to-face meeting with Micheál Martin.
Meanwhile, while Michael awaits the final word on when the day service can begin, he has been considering a second tattoo.
He is very proud of the first one who says it did not hurt, although he admits that it was a bit painful near the elbow.
The hope is that when you attend the day service of your choice in Carlow, your friends will help you choose the artwork for the next tattoo.
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