Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I visited the site.

I met fantastic service providers and users at St. Mary of the Angels and was so impressed with the work at the site, in addition to that at St. Francis Special School. Elected politicians sometimes take different sides but it is great that we have a unified voice on this. It is important to state, however, that it is the board of St. Mary of the Angels that will ultimately decide on the development. At our meeting on the day, a commitment was made. A working group was set up and there is funding for it to consider the scope of what is possible, not just at the site but also right across Kerry. There is a focus on community-based respite but, as has been said, there is great potential at the site considering that there is a special school there. I hope people can work constructively together because it is all about children, adults and access to services. While we want to promote independent living, for which we have been planning, as colleagues have outlined, a fantastic amount of work is happening at the site and there are really good staff there. We must have an open mind. We do not know what is possible at the site. It will only be by discussing it and scoping out the possibilities for the whole county of Kerry that we will find out. My understanding of the meeting was that the conversations will happen, and I will be happy to assist in any way possible. I am aware that funding is a huge issue right across the country. These conversations need to happen and my door is certainly open, as I know is that of the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley.