Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

No, it is not. It absolutely is not. There is nothing I can say or will attempt to say to suggest that it is.

Deputy Fitzmaurice raised the case of Seán in the House five weeks ago and told the Dáil in very vivid and graphic terms, and I say that respectfully, of the huge challenges that Seán's father was, and clearly is, experiencing and his concerns for the welfare of the rest of his family, of Seán and, I am sure, of himself. As the Deputy rightly said, and I thank him for acknowledging it, my own office has been liaising intensively with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, who has been working very hard on this and continues to liaise intensively with the HSE to try to reach a resolution to what is a very difficult, and I do not say that to be dismissive, situation. I understand the HSE met with Seán's father last week. The HSE has acknowledged the slow pace of securing a residential placement, which I think is a bit of an understatement. Funding does remain in place, as the Deputy said. This is not an issue of Government funding, as the Deputy has been clear on. There are often issues of Government funding in this House. This is not one of those issues. Now we are being told the Brothers of Charity is trying to stand up a residential service and trying to recruit and source a suitable property within the county. I take what the Deputy said about meetings and waffle, and I am conscious of that as I say this next sentence, but my understanding is a further meeting is scheduled this week between the HSE, the Brothers of Charity and the family. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte is going to go to that meeting herself to express the Government's utter dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy and with how long this situation has been going on.

There is validity in the Deputy's broader point about the charity sector. I do not say that, nor does the Deputy, to cast a kind of cloud over the sector or anything like that. Lots of good work happens in that regard, but often the person with the disability or their family are not as empowered as they should be in terms of what happens with the money that is allocated. That is why I would like to see, and I know the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte would too, a greater use of the personalised budget model, where the person or family is empowered with the funding and it is not left up to anybody or another organisation to get their act together and get a service in place.

I am sorry my answer is not more satisfactory. It is a really devastating situation for Seán and his family. I can assure the Deputy that, right up to my office, we are monitoring this extremely closely. I am very sorry that Seán has been failed. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, will attend that meeting scheduled this week with the HSE and the Brothers of Charity. I will speak to her directly and keep in touch with the Deputy. If the Deputy gives me the details on Beaumont, I can talk to the Minister for Health.

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