Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing my time Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett.

One reason I submitted this topic is that I, along with other Deputies, received a number of e-mails yesterday on St. Augustine's special needs school, run by St. John of God Community Services Limited. As evident in the discussion on WALK PEER, we are seeing services being pulled from people with disabilities. In the case I wish to raise, a number of children are seeing their services go. St. John of God has decided not to continue with the service. It is saying demand for residential services has decreased. It does not say demand is gone and that the service is not needed anymore or that there is no one using it but rather it is just saying demand has decreased. Therefore, why is the provider pulling the service when there are still people using it?

The vocational education services are to be withdrawn from the school from the beginning September 2018. The houses - five in total - adjacent to the school are to be withdrawn from the children and are to be no longer available to assist in teaching independent living skills. That is from the end of this school year, which is effectively immediately. More than 25 members of staff are to be pulled out of the school and reallocated or reassigned within the St. John of God organisation.

This must not be allowed to happen. It is up to the Minister of State to intervene, particularly in respect of the disability sector. A parents' group has been set up and it has had contact with the Minister of State. He was to get back to it yesterday, according to a letter that was sent. I was informed a meeting was to take place with the Minister of State responsible for disabilities, Deputy Finian McGrath, who it was said would be more than sympathetic to the group's plight. The group expected an update on Monday, 13 June. What has happened? Has the Minister of State replied to the group?

Whatever about St. John of God making this decision, I appeal to the Minister of State to intervene. Alternatively, the HSE should intervene to ensure the services are retained in the school.

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