Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)

I presume the families and individuals who have particular concern about this matter are following the debate. There was nothing disingenuous in the Minister's reply this morning. People decide to discontinue providing services for all sorts of reasons and this is not the first year in which the Daughters of Wisdom and Cregg House have encountered difficulties in funding. Negotiations have been ongoing over the service and I understand the families were extremely happy with the service provided. It is to its credit that Wisdom Services is seeking to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible. I assure families that day services, residential accommodation and respite care will continue to be provided without gaps.

The trying times in which we live demand a little bit more from all of us. Everybody is feeling that burden but we need to be especially conscious of the people to whom we deliver services, including at Cregg House.

I remind the Deputy that the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Costello, has only been in his current office for a portion of a year. I think he deserves an apology.

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