Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)

I thank the Minister of State and am happy she is here as a resident of Laois. I know she is just inside the border, but she is still in Laois. I raised this back in April 2022. On Holy Thursday of that year, I became aware from a source that there were plans to close Erkina House in Rathdowney. Erkina House at that time had 12 residents and €120,000 had just been spent re-roofing part of the building. There was an almighty campaign to keep it open. The decision to close it was not notified to the Minister at the time, and he confirmed that in writing and here on the floor of the Dáil as well. At the time I predicted that the HSE might sit it out, have a war of attrition and let the numbers dwindle down as people passed on, returned to a ward or a nursing home, or were convinced to go somewhere else. Unfortunately, that seems to be what has happened. A consultant was brought in to meet with residents, families, staff and public representatives and we all participated in this. Views were taken, and the view that came back very strongly supported retention of a facility on the site of Erkina House.

The points in favour were the excellent staff in the facility; that it is on a large site in the centre of Rathdowney town with large gardens behind it - it is the old convent house; that it has easy access to shops and a post office directly across the road; and that there is a cafe, local facilities and the health centre, with the library adjacent to it. All of these were used by some of the residents. One person in it was writing poetry. He was moved the other day. Another person who died very recently had produced wonderful artwork, which I have viewed over the years. There is a regular bus service from Rathdowney. An excuse used by the HSE and the Department of Health at the time was that there was no transport in and out. There is a very good bus service in and out of Rathdowney and that will improve further under the rural link scheme, which is a great scheme. I welcome that.

One of the other great points in favour of the facility was the support and acceptance of the residents by the local community. The residents knew local people, and local people knew them and would chat to them. The residents were familiar with the local people and the surroundings. The HSE and the Department produced an order of merit report on the building, looking at options. Refurbishing and extending it had a projected cost of €5.2 million. Obviously, there was a cost in producing that extensive report. A firm of architects was brought in to do it.

The current situation is that the facility is down to just two residents. This is what I predicted would happen. Some of them have been moved. The HSE and the Department have sat it out. Some residents have moved to a nursing home and some of them have gone to their eternal and just reward. There were a number of meetings with the HSE and various options were discussed. I followed this the whole way along. We were told the preferred option for the HSE was that there would be four of these centres in Laois and Offaly, two in Laois and two in Offaly. There is already Silver Lodge in Tullamore and the one in Borris-in-Ossory. Those are the two in Offaly. In Laois, there is the Maryborough Centre, which was being refurbished at the time. It has been reopened now and is fantastic. There are up to 15 residents in that. That is good, but I pointed out at the time that Rathdowney is ideal because it is at the other end of the county. It provided care for the south of the county.

It already owns the site but what we have had since is pussyfooting or deliberately sitting it out. I do not know which it is but no decision has been made. This is not acceptable. How long does it take for decisions to be made in this country? Ministers really need to catch officials and move things on. I ask the Minister of State what is the truth and what is happening. We need an upfront answer.

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