Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the Ministers to today’s meeting. It is great to see so many of us in the one room. I congratulate Mr. Tony O’Brien on his appointment. I got an invitation to a very important meeting last Thursday in St. John of God, Drumcar. A total of 52 public representatives were invited and 14 turned up. We were told that since 2008 funding has been cut by in excess of €7 million. In 2012 there was a deficit of €550,000 and the shortfall was met through funding. It is estimated that there will be a deficit of €1.2 million in 2013. At present the day care centre is closed for three weeks recess and it will re-open on 12 August. From that time those attending day care will no longer receive meals and are being told to bring their own food with them. Most of those attending are more than 40 years of age. What is happening at the moment is a disgrace. I pleaded with the management of St. John of God in Drumcar. I pleaded with the CEO and with everybody else. What is happening at the moment is totally and utterly unfair. Most of the parents are in their 70s and 80s and they are not capable of giving food to their children. Even though the people concerned are in their 40s and 50s they are still children to their parents.

In 2013 the service received an allocation of €25.7 million from the HSE, which is a drop in funding of 1.4% from the 2012 allocation. In 2012 those receiving day care used to get pocket money of €6.50 a week. The recipients spent the money in the local shops and paid their own way. I have seen that happen numerous times in Dundalk that such people have come into a restaurant and paid for their own food. It is a disgrace that the payment of €6.50 has been stopped.

The staff of St. John of God in Drumcar do an outstanding job. I plead with the Minister to reverse the decision. It is in our hands to do something at the moment. A total of 500 people are employed in the St. John of God service in Drumcar and it is planned to close the staff canteen. On tomorrow, Friday, the staff will meet with Dermot Monaghan, the Louth-Meath integrated area manager for the HSE, and they will also meet the families tomorrow night. All I ask of the Minister is that he would please intervene because we are dealing with vulnerable people. As far as I am aware it would not cost much to feed them. We talk about giving money to various countries but I urge the Minister to help the people concerned. I will meet them tomorrow evening and I told them the Minister is a compassionate man. I urge that he would help in this situation.