Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Donnelly for raising this serious issue and for his active work in this area as well. The Deputy is correct that dementia care is different from standard nursing home care. I have visited St. Joseph's, as I am sure has Deputy Donnelly. The level of care provided there is exceptional. The needs of the residents are extremely complex. We need more facilities like St. Joseph's, not less. I believe St. Joseph's to be a model of excellence when it comes to the provision of care for people with dementia.

Deputy Donnelly rightly acknowledged that the element directly within the control of the HSE was swiftly resolved. I thank the HSE for engaging and providing additional funding and certainty about the day-care centre. I appreciate that an overwhelming 93% of St. Joseph's costs pertain to the residential service, which is funded through the NTPF. The Deputy and I know that I am precluded by law from becoming involved in the negotiations. I call on St. Joseph's, as I have repeatedly done, to exhaust the NTPF appeals process. The NTPF has made known to the HSE and, I think, St. Joseph's, that its appeals process will be expedited. St. Joseph's needs to exhaust that process. If that brings a resolution, we will all be happy. Deputy Donnelly's question, as I understand it, is what will be done to keep St. Joseph's open if that process is exhausted swiftly and does not deliver a resolution. My message today is as clear as it was on day one - we will find a mechanism to keep it open. I need everyone to follow the rules in terms of exhausting the NTPF process. That is not to suggest that people are not doing so. No doubt, there are many other nursing homes monitoring this case.

As I informed Deputy Donnelly last week in the Dáil, I will use every legal instrument and lever available to me to keep this facility open. That could mean lots of different things. My priority is that the people living in St. Joseph's remain there and that the service continues to be provided. I have made that commitment several times and I am working daily to fulfil it. I will also work with the Deputy in this regard. As he mentioned, the board will meet in eight days and so no time should be wasted. Deputy Donnelly mentioned that St. Joseph's had written to me. I have heard that from a number of people but to the best of my knowledge, my office has not yet received that letter. I certainly have not had sight of or read it. I presume I will receive it today and I will act swiftly to try to provide helpful guidance to St. Joseph's on how to move forward.