Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not doubt the Taoiseach's sincerity on this issue. I will say a few things of which the Taoiseach might take note. I have read the letters from service providers and some of them will not be reopening in August. Many of them will open in August but not to the scale required. I am glad that the Taoiseach has now verified that the €20 million will not be cut and that sneaky cut is gone. I ask him and the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to look into this matter specifically and ensure that service provision that is so desperately needed is fully rolled out in August. There are transport, accommodation and staffing issues. All the same issues apply in this area as apply for the reopening of schools. No effort has been made and there is no plan in place.

I would know if a plan is in place because I have spoken at length to people across the whole country, including people from the Taoiseach's own county. They are not receiving any form of validation from their service providers that they will be up and running next month. We need a plan to be published on 4 August and it must not only state that service provision will come back on some date but that services will be fully restored. People need and deserve those services in the same way that schoolchildren need and deserve the reopening of schools. These are our most vulnerable citizens.

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