John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister of State replied to this matter because she understands the issue involved and there is no need for me to explain in detail. She has obviously looked into it and been given a note. Perhaps she can clarify one or two points for me.

The Minister of State indicated that an additional grant of €50,000 was also provided by the HSE in 2016. I am advised by Tiglin that it has received correspondence about its business request for additional funding for clients attending the centre and confirming that the €50,000 was approved. Tiglin was told that the delay in the money landing in its account was due to the setting up of the vendor code, which should have been sorted before Christmas. This was in 2015. The correspondence said that, in addition, the 2016 funding would be sorted and that Tiglin would receive a monthly cheque of €4,167 from the HSE. My point is that as far as Tiglin is concerned, there were two previous years. The centre received €50,000 in 2016 and €50,000 in 2015. I want the Minister of State to consider that particular point. Tiglin is saying that it was two years and that the funding has now been switched off. The correspondence from the HSE, which is appalling, also suggests that Tiglin should engage with the HSE addiction services in CHO area 7. The HSE is saying that Tiglin should go to another area for funding. That is appalling, considering that the people CHO area 9 should be funding are from its own area. There is an anomaly in this regard.

I accept what the Minister of State says regarding the fact that there will be a review and that resources will be informed by outcomes, etc., but while the review is going on I ask her to please not turn off the funding. One cannot start and stop rehabilitation services. At the very least, last year's level of funding should be maintained until there is a review and until the Minister of State has decided to make a co-ordinated change. It would not be acceptable for Tiglin or other residential centres to be left in limbo or with reduced funding while such a review is ongoing.

These are the three main points I wish to make: Tiglin got funding of €50,000 in 2015 and 2016; it is not fair that it is being asked to go to CHO area 7 Dublin west to seek funding; and the Minister of State might consider maintaining funding to the centre until the review has been completed and new funding structures been put in place.

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