Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I do not doubt that the Minister has made efforts and I know she knows the value of this. However, in that context, I find it shocking that, although the Minister knows the service should not close, the service is going to close, almost certainly, in April, because €400,000 cannot be found. How many Supplementary Estimates have we had for health in current and capital spending? Could we have a few Supplementary Estimates for services such as this? I am serious. It does not seem like rocket science to go to the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and ask for a small Supplementary Estimate for a measly €400,000 to save six jobs and provide this service to 50 vulnerable families. I do not think anyone in this House would object. It should be done on moral grounds but also on value-for-money grounds for the State. Without a shadow of a doubt, it will cost the State more if this service goes. I appeal to the Minister, if there is anything else she can do along those lines, to do it.

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