By Bernie Ní Fhlatharta

There has been a breakthrough in the impasse regarding funding to provide services for school leavers with disability in Galway.

A solution has been found in the case of eight school leavers with profound to severe disabilities who are due to graduate from Rosedale Special Needs School in Renmore.

Yesterday, Labour TD Derek Nolan welcomed confirmation by HSE West that services for them had been secured.

Deputy Nolan said the future of the students had been uncertain and was causing huge stress and anxiety for concerned parents.

He said: “This is excellent news for the families concerned, who were facing an uncertain future as to what level of service would be available this September. These young adults were receiving an excellent service and that care will now continue.

“The needs have been met from within the existing health budget and I want to congratulate the HSE West, the service providers and Minister for Disability, Kathleen Lynch who all worked extremely hard to find a solution. I know that this news is a great relief for the affected families. The services to be provided will not be a sticking plaster service, but one fitted to the needs of the service user.

"It is vital now that we move away from this crisis approach to the provision of services for disabled school leavers.”

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel