Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The parents of children with special needs in County Wicklow need and want to hear from the HSE and the Department of Education and Skills about the future plans for St. Catherine's Association and all of the services it provides to children in the county. Yesterday 58 superb staff members were let go. Today parents in Wicklow are concerned, frustrated, angry and confused. They do not know what is going on. I understand a meeting will take place on Monday with the board of directors for all parents whose children use the services of St. Catherine's Association and this is a very important process. The five Deputies from Wicklow, and Deputy Donnelly is in the House while Deputy Ferris is out of the country, are all working together on this in an effort to ensure services are retained.

I know there are serious corporate governance and financial management issues in the organisation but my priority and that of the people in County Wicklow is to see its services and the level of care retained. Everything done by St. Catherine's Association was done for the good of children with special needs. The service grew out of need and love. Clearly there are very serious issues and the new board of directors of St. Catherine's Association very much acknowledge this and have been working hard over the past month to attempt to rectify it. These issues must be addressed. From our perspective, we need the HSE and the Department of Education and Skills to work together and meet the new board of directors and put in place a structure to ensure the health, education and residential services can be retained. St. Catherine's Association provides a unique service and we need to ensure it continues. Yes, significant changes need to be made but we need assurances to be given to parents and children that services will be retained and that the issues will be addressed.

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