Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate this evening. It is an extremely important and timely debate, given that the Minister published the HSE service plan in the past number of days. The Department of Health is an extremely important Department. It is a Department that touches the lives of practically everybody in the country. Usually, it touches people's lives at a time when they are particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, over the past number of years, many decisions that were taken - some by the Minister's predecessor, but many collectively by the Cabinet - have had a detrimental effect on the sick and the vulnerable. In many instances, this has compounded the problems and illnesses that people have experienced.

It has contributed unnecessarily to anxiety and fear among many people. We do not have to look very far back to be reminded of the anxiety and fear inflicted on the people of County Longford due to the deficit in St. Christopher's hospital. In a previous debate I thanked the Minister for his intervention in this matter but I have since been informed that the Taoiseach had to instruct him to make the necessary funding available. This information came from Deputy Bannon. Whoever was involved, it should not require 3,000 people protesting in the spilling rain, including families, sick people and people with intellectual disabilities, to force the Government into a U-turn. Despite the increase in the HSE budget, the deficit that emerged in 2012 means there will not be sufficient funding even to stand still in 2015, let alone meet the increasing demands placed on our hospital systems. I fear that we will have more of what we experienced in the last several years.

The HSE service plan indicates that free GP care for children under the age of six years will be delivered next year. Funding of €37 million had previously been promised to implement the free GP scheme in 2014, for which there would be no fees at point of use. Twelve months later, the funding has been reduced by €12 million and we are still being promised that it will be delivered. What confidence can the parents who are waiting for free GP care for their children have that it will be introduced in 2015? Free GP care means no charges but I note that the Minister in some of his media outings mentioned a nominal fee. Perhaps he can confirm whether there will be a nominal fee or if the service will be free. I worry about this Government's record on nominal fees. It came to office promising to abolish the nominal fee for prescription charges but it was instead increased fivefold.

I acknowledge that an additional €20 million is being invested in disability services but this has to be viewed in the context of the reduction of €159 million since 2008. As Mr. John Dolan, the CEO of the Disability Federation of Ireland, said, this does not even start to plug the gap. I recently spoke to the parent of a young man who lives with three other men in a community house in my constituency. In the past 12 months, the number of staff working in that house decreased from four to three, which has resulted in a savage deterioration in the quality of life for the men who live in the house. They are no longer able to go bowling and are effectively prisoners in their home because there are insufficient staff to ensure they can enjoy extra-curricular activities. It does not say much for us as a society if that is how we are treating young men with intellectual disabilities. These men, who have Down's syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, are being forced into reviews of their medical cards on a yearly and, in some instances, a half-yearly basis. Talk about an administrative burden given that the medical conditions of these young gentlemen will, unfortunately, never get better.

The Minister is living up to his commitment on mental health by investing €35 million in the sector this year. However, only €20 million was provided last year. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, promised that the shortfall would be made up in this year's allocation. That has not happened. A colleague recently outlined the case of young person known to Túsla who was in residential care due to her psychiatric condition. Even though this person was under the age of 18 years and was experiencing suicidal ideation, she only received one visit from the child and adolescent mental health service in a 13 month period. That is not good enough. Dr. Shari McDaid has pointed out that the HSE has fewer than three quarters of the staff it needs to deliver the Government's mental health policy. How do we propose to deal with the critical issue of mental health and the number of young men, in particular, who are taking their own lives if the experts say we have fewer than three quarters of the staff required? This is something that the Minister needs to address urgently.

In regard to the fair deal scheme, I commend staff in Longford-Westmeath on their efficiency and punctuality in dealing with application forms. However, a concerted effort is needed to provide funding for people who are no longer able to live in their own homes. The population of those over 80 years of age is increasing by 4% annually but this increase is not being matched by the necessary funding. It is a sad reflection on this society if we cannot acknowledge the contribution these people have made to society by providing adequate nursing home care to them when they are in their old age.

At the HSE forum of 21 October, a councillor raised the issue of the downgrading of our local office of the Registrar for Births, Marriages and Deaths. When I raised a similar issue by way of parliamentary question, I was told the office would be open three days per week, namely, Mondays from 9.15 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., Wednesdays from 9.15 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays from 9.15 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., and that the introduction of lunchtime opening and later opening hours was well received by the public. Last week notice was posted on the door of the office that it would open one day per week for five hours. When the HSE was asked to comment it stated the late opening hours were well received by the public. Why is a birth registration office located on the campus of one of the busiest maternity hospitals outside of Dublin only open for five hours per week? I ask the Minister to investigate the problem. I am informed that two staff members in the office are on long-term leave because of bullying. This should be investigated urgently to ensure we provide a proper service for the people of Mullingar.

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