Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I congratulate Deputy Kelleher on tabling this motion. It provides the opportunity to discuss this important matter. I am very concerned at the possible closures of wards and theatres as a result of cost-cutting measures to deal with a deficit of €500 million this year. I ask if these figures were ever achievable. I have spoken to hospital managers and they are genuinely worried about the budgetary position because of cuts to their allocations. They find it difficult to make ends meet as a result. I do not think savings in the cost of drugs have been achieved. Every hospital will be forced to cut back on the use of agency staff and this is true of the Galway hospitals. The figures I have seen indicate that the cost of hiring agency staff has doubled in the period from 2008 to the present. A question arises as to which services will be cut.

I wish to speak about the HSE west region because it is the area I know better. Along with others I am concerned about the waiting times for procedures and whether those waiting times will get longer. The mental health services in Ballinasloe - a town I represent - and in other hospitals in Sligo, Galway and Clare have seen the closure of acute beds in psychiatric hospitals. A total of €35 million has been allocated to mental health services of which €24 million is dedicated to community-based teams for adults and children. It is important to ring-fence that funding.

I refer to the excellent service providers for those with disabilities in County Galway and in the western region. I wish to pay tribute to Ability West in particular. The Brothers of Charity have done tremendous work for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. It is important to have these services as local as possible. I represent a rural area and I still see people having to travel to Galway city or further to access these services. Ability West has special schools in Ballinasloe, in Carraroe, in Tuam and in Galway city. The Minister will know that a new centre will be opened in Mountbellew on Friday, 20 July. Ability West is providing high quality services and supports to over 500 children and adults with intellectual disability. The Brothers of Charity services empower people with intellectual disability and autism to live their lives as they choose. There has been a transformation in the way supports and services are provided and this is in line with best international practice. The Brothers of Charity are forming partnerships with each individual and family because it is important to design a service plan for each person with an intellectual disability. They are providing opportunities for valued social roles in their communities for people with disabilities.

I refer to the acute reduction in bed numbers at St. Brigid's hospital in Ballinasloe. I also refer to the future of the property attached to hospitals like St. Brigid's and the use of the funds arising from the sale of land or property which I contend should be put back into mental health services. I support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul which, through the Ballinasloe voluntary housing project, is trying to provide housing for the elderly.

I would like to see a museum established on the hospital grounds at St. Brigid's hospital to preserve memorabilia when the residents finally move out. I ask the Minister to consider the funding for the home help service as it provides a range of services for clients who are mainly elderly people in order to help them remain in their own home rather than moving to nursing home care. SIPTU has taken up the issue of an agenda of privatisation of the service. The most important issue is to avoid any reduction in home help hours. The advocacy group, Age Action, has called for an urgent review of the draft guidelines which the HSE uses to restrict home help services. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has also spoken out against a restricted service. Eamonn Timmons of Age Action has said that if the service is inadequately resourced and is then restructured to operate without sufficient funding and personnel, it will result in a service which poses a threat to the well-being of the very people it sets out to protect.

The Galway hospice services were established in 1990. It started with only one doctor and one full-time and one part-time nurse. It provides services to patients at home and also in the hospice centre. Carers also need to have respite from their duties. Galway hospice does not receive equity of funding. It seeks to be treated no less favourably by the HSE than comparable services in other counties.

I welcome the funding for a diploma in special dental care to upskill six dentists to address services for homeless people. One of these six dentists will be assigned to the west and I ask that these dentists be assigned as quickly as possible.

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