Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for finally addressing my question, which is about a review. I realise she is stepping in for somebody else, but services for older people and mental health overlap as well. I got a page with the reply, and other than the middle part that tells me there is a reconfiguration, I got a hymn of praise to the amount of money provided. I know the Ministers are working hard. I have said that. I am not going to waste my precious time on that, but on the very bad decision to close a wonderful kitchen, which is fully equipped and where the chef has been there for more than 20 years. There is a lovely and very competent team supplying healthy food where we have control and see what is happening. There is quality food and no worries about anything. In addition, the kitchen complies with the special needs of CAMHS in Merlin Park. What kind of idiotic management - I put it as strongly as that - makes a decision to close a fully equipped kitchen instead of analysing it to see how it could be further extended? Further on in the reply, insult is added to injury by referring to the crisis café. We have a full restaurant kitchen supplying wonderful meals and we are getting rid of it.

In reply to my question, I got a whole load of stuff that is nothing to do with it. It is Christmas time and I want to be positive. I wish everyone a happy Christmas. This is a day centre that is crucial. Food is a crucial part of psychology. It is not just about eating healthy food, but sitting down together and eating a meal. A ridiculous decision was made a few years ago on the Lá Nua centre, where the lunches were taken away. I urge the Minister of State to help if she has any influence. It is time to stop the sweet words, to show vision and leadership and to say this is nuts. It is simply not acceptable. There may be a need to reorganise and restructure but we should not get rid of a vital service. We must learn from it. The service has been complimented by the Mental Health Commission. We must look at how it operates and how we can extend it. Rather than privatising everything and going bigger, instead we should go smaller with better control and look at how we can extend the services.

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