MOTHER-of-two Nuala Murray warned that vulnerable Irish families shouldn’t be forced to fight tooth-and-nail for vital supports for children with special needs.

Nuala’s daughter Hazel (9) has an intellectual disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and also suffers from behavioural issues.

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At times, her problems have been so severe her family have in desperation had to take her to the accident and emergency (A&E) department at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Despite the fact that Nuala wants to care for Hazel at home, she has twice been refused a home care support package.

“Hazel is my daughter, she is my girl and she is so incredibly loved,” Nuala said.

“She deserves all the support she can get and has a right to achieve her potential.”

But the Cork mother warned that the system to support families of special needs children in Ireland is broken.

“The hospital and COPE staff are absolutely amazing but they are stretched to breaking point, the whole system is totally under-resourced and families are fighting for supports they should automatically be getting.

“They just aren’t getting the resources such as funding and staffing that they need.

“There are days when it seems like a fight just to get out of bed in the morning. We shouldn’t have to fight for the help that we need.”

• Read More: Cope Foundation facing funding crisis amid warning €34m needed as demand surges for disability support providers’ services

Nuala said that caring for Hazel is the equivalent of minding four children. Her behavioural issues were first noted in 2015 but became a serious problem two years later.

Nuala, who also has an older daughter, Maeve (13), said it can be totally exhausting trying to cope without the supports that should be provided as a matter of course for Irish parents.

At one point, the exhausted mum had to take six weeks sick leave just to be able to cope.

Now, she works two days a week because anything more would be unsustainable given the daily care demands posed by Hazel.

She also receives incredible support from her own tight-knit family.

“I want to be able to look after Hazel in my home. I don’t want her to have to go into full time residential care. But, just like every other parent in the same position, I need help to do this,” she said.

“Families shouldn’t have to fight tooth-and-nail for the help they are entitled to and have a right to. It should be provided automatically.

“I need help and I need it right now.

“I don’t know what families would do without the support of organisations like COPE.”

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