Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue. Deputy Lisa Chambers and I have been approached by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and some of the 12 clients from across County Mayo who use the Castlebar centre on a Monday-to-Friday basis for respite and other services.

From the end of May, this will become a three-day service and no transport will be provided from various parts of the county to the Castlebar centre. As the Minister of State can imagine, this is causing huge distress to the families of the 12 clients involved, who depend on the service and on the transport to the service, and to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland, which provides an excellent service, along with Western Alzheimers, across County Mayo. Over the years, much of the response to Alzheimer's and dementia across County Mayo has been driven by communities, not the HSE. The HSE has taken on board some of the projects but has cut funding to other projects, leading to a very bumpy service across the county. What has happened in all these instances is that the patients who were using the community services, which were subsequently cut, and their families were then forced into either primary care providers across the county or Mayo University Hospital, thereby adding pressure to an already overstretched system.

In respect of the Castlebar centre, there is a shortfall of only some €30,000 annually. The HSE has not increased funding to the centre for a number of years. The clients contribute over €13,000 a year to the five-day service and the transport, with the HSE contributing just over €34,000 and fundraising led by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland just under €33,000. For want of this relatively small amount of money, which can be found within the budget, this service, this lifeline to families, and this transport will be restricted to three days and possibly to an even greater extent. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland has endeavoured for some years to try to engage the HSE on this issue. The HSE has written to both Deputy Lisa Chambers and me to tell us it is not cutting funding this year. However, the difficulty is that it is not increasing it either and the costs of providing the service are increasing. Transport alone has seen an increase in insurance costs. In addition, three people who have a relationship with the clients involved and whose relationship with the families of these clients is absolutely essential to the clients' well-being will be laid off this project. It is beyond me how a small, community-led service which is providing such a difference will now be curtailed in this manner because of a refusal on the part of the HSE to engage in the practical realities and practical, day-to-day expenses involved. This has happened previously. There was a wonderful project called Community Action on Dementia in Mayo, a community-led response project, which was providing a fantastic service. It had its money curtailed because the HSE took a decision locally not to support it. The services it provided were phenomenal.

I ask the Minister of State to engage with the HSE. It does not seem to understand the damage it is doing or the short-sighted nature of the decision it is taking. For the want of €30,000-odd, these 12 people will be put on a three-day service, thereby adding pressure to our primary care services and to Mayo University Hospital, which cannot stand any more pressure than that which it already faces.

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