Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad that the Minister of State has given confirmation on this but what has happened here is an appalling vista. It was fought for last year. The Brothers of Charity provided St. Rita's and the families were happy. The families tell me - not the Minister of State or anyone else - that St. Rita's and the Brothers of Charity applied for funding this year and got no response. They were told, approaching the deadline, they would not be getting the funding. There has been a reversal here because of people power and families. This is appalling.

I supported the Minister of State during the talks on the programme for Government to try and get this funding ring-fenced. The HSE is blackguarding families, people, centres like this, the Brothers of Charity and the boards of management of these places. This should not have happened. I plead with the Minister of State to ensure that whatever mandarin in the HSE decided to be so cruel, disingenuous and callous as to say this was being pulled will be reprimanded. This is not good enough. These people are looking after their children with special needs and do a great job, as do the centres, the Brothers of Charity groups and many others. They need to be supported, not blackguarded, misled, frightened and scared. There is something more sinister to this than the Minister of State is telling us.

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