Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the sentiment and passion the Deputy brings to this matter and his concern on behalf of the residents. I would be distressed if the residents were unsure and unsettled because of uncertainty pertaining to their future. I certainly will address that. I will be meeting the Deputy, representatives of the HSE and Senator Hopkins later this evening on this issue. I will also get a sense of the issue from the other people who will be present. As the Deputy knows, I cannot give a commitment as to what will open or close in such situations. However, I agree with him that while A Vision for Change was a great document, it did not get everything right and we did not always make the right decisions. Deputy Mattie McGrath will be aware of what I mean because we have discussed it in his local area. There could have been haste in closing some institutions at the time without sufficient progress being made on building community services and supports for people afterwards and alternative avenues of care. I know a fair amount about Roscommon but not enough, so tonight's meeting will inform me further.

I can give the Deputy a sincere commitment that I will approach this with a fully open mind. I will assist and support the Deputy and his Oireachtas colleagues every step of the way in holding the HSE to open, transparent and full accountability and communication. We will do everything we can to provide assurances, first, to the residents in the Rosalie unit, as well as to the wider community who care so much about it.

See this speech in context