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

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing this very important motion to the Chamber tonight. As the Minister of State is well aware, we have a lack of residential care places for people with disabilities in County Kerry. There was some mention in the budget that 90 new centres would be opened. We have had a centre for many years in Whitefield, Beaufort in Kerry, known as St. Mary of the Angels, which was donated by the Doyle family. An awful lot of fundraising has gone on through the years to help this place develop and keep going. Sadly now, however, it has been closed by stealth. As a patient dies, that bed is closed down and not used anymore. The Minister of State is well aware of the case I brought to her regarding a person who was looking for residential care when her husband died. She could not mind the strong daughter she has of 32 or 33 years of age. The only offer of a residential care place she got at that time was in County Meath, up against the Six Counties of Ireland in the North. In fairness, I appreciate the Minister of State's intervention. I do not know if she is there all the time but she is only there on a temporary basis as such.

I am asking now that St. Mary of the Angels be redeveloped. There are a lot of dormitory-style beds and stuff like that. I am, therefore, asking for new separate units to be built on the grounds. There are acres of land there. The peace and tranquility of that place and the expertise of the care workers who are working there could not be touched anywhere else. It has been handed down to them over generations. I am appealing to the Minister of State. Whatever about this decongregation model, there is a need for a place like this where there are pools and therapies of all types to be had. It is being closed by stealth. I am asking the Minister of State not to do that on these grounds. Saint John of God Kerry Services workers have been doing great work and are doing great work as we talk today, but the place is being closed down by stealth. If we are talking about new residential care places, I ask that Whitefield in Beaufort be developed and made into a state-of-the-art place. As I said in the first place, it was donated by the Doyle family. A whole lot of voluntary work has gone on and much fundraising has been done over the years.

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