Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to address this important issue here this evening. One judges any state and any government on how they deal with people with mental, physical or any type of intellectual disability.

In the county I represent, we have a very worrying event happening now, as the Minister of State knows, with St. John of God Community Services notifying the HSE that it will be withdrawing the work it has been doing. I thank St. John of God Community Services for the work it has been doing for many years, taking care of this sector of society and these very important people. It has been running facilities throughout the country such as, for example, St. Mary of the Angels, which I would call a centre of excellence for dealing with people with every different type of disability. I compliment every one of the workers who has been there past, present or future. They have given great service. They are local people drawn from the community and it has been a vocation for them to take care of what I would call special people.

St. John of God Community Services has said it will withdraw services this time next year. Between now and Christmas, the HSE should discuss with that group the financial difficulties that have been ongoing there for a long time, as well as a way forward. I am not here to criticise but the HSE finds it difficult enough to deliver the services it is supposed to and if it is told this group will no longer give this service, who will step into that breach?

The most important thing the Minister of State can do, if she can do it, is take care of what I call special people in their own homes. That can only be done with financial assistance and all the other supports required. I ask the Minister of State to take that into account when dealing with our special people in Ireland.

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