Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Cuts in the health service are unacceptable, particularly when vital supports and resources for organisations dealing with disabilities are deprived of the necessary vital funding to carry out their core services. For instance, Kerry Parents and Friends Association, KPFA, was informed last week by the HSE that its budget from 1 July to 7 November this year was cut by €44,447. This is a draconian cut in the circumstances and is proportionate to a reduction of more than €130,000 per annum, which is appalling. It appears a full cut will be made in 2015. I hope this is avoided and staved off. I ask all Ministers to ensure the full budget is retained. In particular I ask the Minister of State, Deputy Simon Harris, who is a very capable person, to convey the message to the Minister for Health. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is doing excellent work in disability services and I am sure she will give recognition to this difficulty.

The organisation is now in a crisis due to personnel and funding deficits. The announcement is detrimental to its future viability. The association is under serious pressure because of the projected high costs of HIQA registration, the high costs associated with the need to manage emergencies given the age profile of those they support, and the need to increase the number of senior personnel to manage the volume of work which has been placed on a very small team.

The reduction is a dereliction by the Minister for Health and the HSE of the provision of resources to allow people with intellectual disabilities in County Kerry to live full lives as equal citizens. It epitomises the difficulties faced by all providers of services for this vulnerable sector in society. There is a growing gap between the need and demand for supports for people with intellectual disabilities and their families and the resources available to meet their needs. It is time to bridge this gap to sustain and build these essential supports. Disability organisations have experienced substantial budget cuts over the past seven years, resulting in a reduction of more than 20% in funding. Service providers have made every effort to protect essential services with reduced resources, and it is no longer possible to continue to provide quality supports in this way.

The substantial increase in waiting lists for residential services for respite and other supports can only be dealt with through additional investment. Some service providers are extremely prudent and do everything possible to minimise costs and maximise efficiencies, but the adoption of HIQA quality standards throughout the services is creating significant additional demands on already reduced resources and it will not be possible to meet all of the requirements of the standards without vital additional investment.

There is extreme concern about the future viability of the KPFA and its ability to deliver front-line services. I appeal to the Minister for Health to restore the shortfall of €44,000 immediately and ensure the HSE will provide the necessary amount of funding to the KPFA in 2015.

The delivery of services by St. Francis Special School in Beaufort has also been affected due to a shortage of therapists for the essential multidisciplinary requirements of the pupils. The HSE has increased the caseload, but the number of therapists is the same. This has been exacerbated by the relocation of therapists and therapy hours from one area to cover another area. The management of the school, parents and the HSE have been reviewing matters and making some progress on these issues, but there is still some way to go in addressing and finalising satisfactory solutions to these matters. There is also a need for more respite care for some of the pupils and their parents. I call for this matter to be examined and resolved. Services are carried out in conjunction with St. John of God's services, but there is a need for more funding to solve the matter.

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