James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the short run it goes without saying that we have gone from having a capacity of approximately 20 service users in early 2021 and reducing that to a three- and four-person placement with this new residential house. That is not acceptable in the short or medium term. There is an urgent need to increase that. The service plan in the immediate future has been covered in depth by Deputy Hourigan. I cannot stomach the idea that people in Midleton are going to be asked to move to St. Stephen's Hospital and other HSE locations despite the Mental Health Commission reports clearly outlining that there are serious problems. So much about this decision does not make sense. It has been hard as a Government representative trying to seek the answers that families need when the HSE changed its story on so many different occasions. I want to outline my disappointment and frustration with that. It is the second time I have told Mr. Reid. I said it to him the last time he was before the committee. I also ask about the day care service and it is critical that Mr. Fitzgerald gives some explanation for this. Emergency respite care was deeply valued by people in the community. People working in the Owenacurra Centre who provided that care to the community had a good deal of discretion. Will he indicate what is being done on the respite care front and on the day care front please?