Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise a recent official announcement that affects my constituency. Last Friday, the Health Service Executive announced at a meeting to Oireachtas Members that the Rosalie residential centre for mildly mentally handicapped persons in Castlerea is to close within the next four weeks. We were also told before the end of the meeting that St. Joseph's day care centre in Ballaghaderreen, which 18 people attend, was to close. I recognise the role played by the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, who has acknowledged the representations made to him on this matter by people he met while visiting the centre. This is a scandalous announcement. The Government is neglecting vulnerable people in a scandalous way in several areas of mental health.

These are vulnerable people. As the Taoiseach swans around New York giving out U2 tickets, he seems to have little realisation of the problem on his doorstep at home. I challenge the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, to pick up the phone today to instruct the HSE not to close those centres, end of story. I demand that the Minister of State does this without further delay.

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