Mr. Joe Lynch:

Yes. We were hit twice. I will try to put that in context. Capitation fees are paid by the HSE on a monthly basis to each of the communities. On top of that, Camphill receives a top-up payment in recognition by the HSE that Camphill was not properly funded. The top-up fee in 2008 was €2.5 million. In 2009, it was €1.9 million. It then dropped to €900,000 in 2010 and it dropped further in 2011 to €525,000. While other organisations have been hit by cuts of 2%, 3% and 1.5%, Camphill has had its top-up payment reduced from €2.5 million to €500,000 per annum and has also been hit by the 1.5% to 3% cuts across the board, which seriously impacts our ability to provide services going forward.

Deputy Ó Caoláin mentioned the HIQA recommendations. HIQA can order that an agency acquire more staff, upgrade its bannisters, fire services and so on, which must be completed within a specific timeframe. There was a bit of fudge in this regard between last year and this year. Obviously, people within the HSE must have had the conversation with HIQA in relation to funding for these upgrades, such that fire service upgrades were not deemed an essential part of the registration process. While these services must upgraded, there was a willingness to allow them to be placed on the back burner because of the amount of money involved. In regard to Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor's question in this regard, we need north of €2 million in relation to fire upgrades and so on.

The second recommendation provides that HIQA be permitted to issue an immediate action notice such that agencies will have no choice but to do whatever it says. An agency would generally have 24 to 72 hours to complete the necessary work. Immediate action notices would be served in situations of potential danger to persons. One would have no choice but to find the money to do that work or one could be deregistered or face a fine in court. I will ask Ms Moffitt to elaborate further on fees within Camphill.