Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this debate today. We could not take it last Thursday. The funding provided to the Brothers of Charity and to Ability West in County Galway has been cut. I understand they received notification of this cut in October, even though it had been set out months previously. It seems that the cut stems from the Haddington Road agreement, under which savings were to be made, and from a value for money report that was carried out within these services. I would like to concentrate on the value for money report. The Minister of State might be able to give me some clarity on it. I understand that the details of this cut were set out to all the individual agencies involved a number of months previously. There seems to be some concern about the value for money report. The Minister of State might be able to let me know who carried it out. What were the terms and guidelines around that report? How is the cut of €5 million to be broken down between each of the individual agencies? It seems that €156,000 will come out of the budget of Ability West before the end of the year. How was it set out that Ability West would take such a cut? I think the cut being imposed on the Brothers of Charity is almost double that. How was the figure for that cut arrived at? There is some concern about how these cuts were arrived at and how they will be rolled out. I have been told that the HSE may have informed these agencies that the €5 million I have mentioned might be taken out of central Exchequer funding and would not be passed on down to the agencies at this stage. I know that half of the cut will come out before the end of this year and the full cut will come out in 2015. The Minister of State might be able to give me some clarity in that regard as well.

Since the decision to impose this cut was arrived at and the agencies were informed of it, I have been contacted by a number of families and parents who are concerned about the effect it might have on them. I know the HSE said on 2 October that the agencies should achieve these funding cuts without affecting front-line services. Is the Minister of State convinced that it is possible for these savings to be made without affecting front-line services? If it is proven that this cannot be done, will it be possible to reverse the cut? Is there any way to make sure these agencies are well funded? Much of the concern that is being expressed to me relates to respite care. Many families desperately need the respite care service to continue. They are concerned that if this cut goes ahead, they and their loved ones will not have an opportunity to get a break of a week or two weeks. Many people have contacted me today to express concern about reports that there has been an 11% increase in middle management in the HSE. This has led to some frustration because it has happened at a time when a cut to front-line services seems to be coming down the line. I ask the Minister of State to clarify the issues I have raised with regard to the value for money report and its impact on these agencies.

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