Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply and agree wholeheartedly with much of what she stated. She set out the case in detail. Even so, when the HSE closes the door, it can be difficult to get it reopened, as the Ceann Comhairle will be aware. It closed the door of the day care centre in Monasterevin in 2014 and that has not reopened.

I have raised concerns, and I am sure the Ceann Comhairle and other Deputies from his constituency have too, about the issue of relocation. There is a site at the hospital and, where possible, there should be support to keep the service on site. HSE estates needs to re-examine this and try to keep the service on the same site as the nursing unit, as it is now called, or the "hospital", as it is referred to locally, given there are integrated services on the site. A building is being sourced and the HSE will probably end up leasing or purchasing a site. It may be a more cost-effective option to locate the service on site and that should be explored.

The Minister of State mentioned that in December, 73% of centres for older people were open, but zero per cent are open in County Laois. That is the point I am trying to get across. This is a serious situation. Portlaoise hospital is already oversubscribed, as I understand, without the tranche of patients from Abbeyleix hospital, given it is not being extended but rather only refurbished. Similarly, the Mountmellick service covers a huge area, into the Slieve Bloom Mountains, up to Clonaslee and that area. That, too, needs to be reopened.

I ask the Minister of State to take up the issue of these three locations with the HSE. When HSE estates indicates something is at an early stage, that sets alarm bells ringing for me. It needs to be pushed on. I acknowledge the point about day-to-day operational responsibility for planning and managing, as the Minister of State set out, but sometimes the HSE needs a push from a Minister’s office to get it moving.

It is not acceptable that a whole county is left without day care services.

See this speech in context