The NPSAThe National Parents’ and Siblings’ Alliance was founded in 1998. It was formed to give a powerful single voice to the parents and siblings of the 25,000 people with an intellectual disability and autism living in Ireland. Since then we have been involved at many different levels in the campaign for the right to appropriate services for people with an intellectual disability and autism. Following our involvement in the campaign for greater funding we were pleased to see the Cowen Plan for multi-annual funding being set up from 2000 to 2002. This resulted in a three-year process which produced many extra services. The NPSA works in co-operation with other organisations throughout the country and, as a national lobby group, campaigns to ensure: ● An adequate level of Government funding is directly allocated for the provision of appropriate day care, respite and residential places for the children and adults on waiting lists; ● Parents have a precise role in the strategic planning of future services for people with an intellectual disability in Ireland; ● That services will be maintained and expanded to meet current and future needs; ● We are given a statutory legislative framework of rights for people with disabilities. |