Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an Aire as ucht teacht isteach sa Teach anocht chun an cheist seo a thógáil. Go bunúsach, tógadh Áras Rónáin i gCill Rónáin in Inis Mór sa bhliain 1999 nuair a tháinig an pobal le chéile chun teach altranais a thógáil mar aon le tithíocht shóisialta do sheandaoine. Thug an tAire Comhshaoil a bhí ann ag an am, Bobby Molloy, cead cuid den fhoirgneamh a úsáid mar teach altranais agus an chuid eile den ionad a úsáid mar thithíocht shóisialta. Bhí 18 aonaid sóisialta ann agus deich leaba lán aimseartha sa teach altranais, móide dhá leaba faoisimh. Nuair a bhí an t-aonad tógtha, tógadh ar lámh éó Respond go dtí coiste Áras Rónáin agus tá siadsan ag déanamh cúram don áit le cúnamh ón HSE ó shin. Chomh maith le sin, bhí páirt nach beag ag Comharchumann na nOileán sa scéal. Caithfidh mé a rá go raibh sé de phribhléid agam go raibh cúnamh á thabhairt dóibh teacht ar an réiteach nuálaíoch cruthaíoch a thángthas air leis an áit seo a ríocht.

Ó tógadh an teach altranais, tá na leapacha ar fad lán an t-am ar fad. Go deimhin, bhíodh ar chuid de na daoine a bhí ag lorg leapa sa teach altranais dul go dtí an mórthír le haghaidh leaba altranais a fháil. Ag an am céanna, níor bhaineadh leas iomlán as na haonaid cónaithe a bhí curtha ar fáil agus d'fhan dhá thrian de na haonaid sin folamh. Nuair a bhí Noel Ahern mar Aire Stáit, thug sé cead cuid de na haonaid tithíochta sóisialta a aistriú gan aon aisíoc le haghaidh cur leis an teach altranais. Ní dhearnadh an obair sin, ach glacadh leis i bprionsabal. Tá fíor-dhroch aonad príomhúil nó ionad sláinte ar an oiléan. Tá sé an-dona ar fad. Tá an HSE ag rá go mbeadh sé an-ciallmhar dá mbeadh aonad príomhúil le haghaidh an oileán ar fad lonnaithe ar láthair Áras Rónáin agus go ndéanfaí aistriú ar cuid de na haonaid tithíochta isteach ina ionad príomhúil sláinte. Níl á lorg acu ón Aire ach cead é sin a dhéanamh. Níl siad ag iarraidh air ach breathnú ar seo san iomlán agus a rá gur ar mhaithe le pobal an oileán atá an rud ar fad. Níl ach Rialtas amháin sa tír. Ba chóir go dtabharfaí cead don choiste áitiúil dul go dtí an HSE. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an gcoiste, in ionad na haonaid tithíochta a bheith ann, go n-aithneofaí cuid acu - seacht cinn, sílim - mar ionad príomhúil sláinte. Réiteódh sé sin an fhadhb a bhaineann leis an droch-ionad sláinte. Cuireadh sé na seirbhísí sláinte ar fad ar an oileán ar aon láthair amháin. Mar a deirim, níl aon airgead i gceist ó thaobh na Roinne.

Tá súil agam go mbeidh dea-scéal ag an Aire dom tráthnóna. Ba cheart don Rialtas an rud ciallmhar a dhéanamh. Tá súil agam go dtuigtear nach bhfuil aon athrúúinéireachta i gceist. Níl aon athrú bunúsach i gceist ó thaobh úsáid na háise de. Is le pobal an oileán - agus le aos an oileán, go speisialta - a bheidh sé seo ann. Bheadh sé iontach dá mbeadh an aonad príomhúil sláinte in áit agus seirbhísí ar nós na teiripe cainte agus na fisiteiripe lonnaithe ar aon láthair amháin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh dea-scéal ag an Aire dom, agus go dtabharfar litir don choiste ag rá go bhfuil cead acu dul ar aghaidh le seo. Ba chóir go mbeadh an HSE in ann an aonad príomhúil a aistriúón áit ina bhfuil sé, atá thar a bheith mí-oiriúnach, suas go dtí láthair Áras Rónáin, ar an Mainistir i gCill Rónáin.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to have the opportunity to express my appreciation of the good work done by the voluntary housing sector in Ireland. The sector works in close co-operation with local authorities and other statutory bodies to deliver many local services for the public.

Last June my Department launched a new housing policy framework which puts the voluntary and co-operative sector at the very heart of social housing provision. I will use the substantial expertise and momentum the sector has built up in recent years in meeting our shared objective of providing housing for those who cannot do so from their own resources.

With regard to Áras Rónán on Inis Mór, the project was constructed about ten years ago with grant assistance of €2.4 million from my Department to meet a specific housing need for elderly persons on the island. The facility includes a group home and 18 units for independent living. I am pleased to see the voluntary body in question has worked in close co-operation with the HSE in the delivery of care services locally. I understand both the HSE and the voluntary body want to consolidate care services at Áras Rónán, using part of the existing residential facility for this purpose.

In the case of all projects funded under the capital assistance scheme, it is a condition that the facilities are used for their intended purpose and that the investment by the taxpayer is protected. The approved housing body must enter into a mortgage agreement with the local authority for a period of 30 years. In cases where the accommodation provided under the capital assistance scheme is no longer used for its intended purpose, the mortgage must be redeemed in full or transferred to another approved body. In the case of Áras Rónán, the voluntary body is the de facto owner of the properties, subject to the terms of the mortgage deed.

My Department wants to be as supportive as possible in consolidating care services at Áras Rónán. To this end, it wrote to the voluntary body last month asking for specific information on the number of units required for the care facility. Given that the terms of the mortgage deed could be an issue, we asked if a lease arrangement could be put in place between the housing body and the HSE. To date, we have not received a response. I hope we can make progress on the basis of the lease arrangement.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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This seems to be one of those cases involving a voluntary group in which all sorts of legalities and difficulties are being thrown up. I am sure that as a backbencher for many years, the Minister threw up his hands in despair about how pedantic the State could become. In this case the lessee will be the HSE. I often used to ask the question when in government, "Can we get it into our heads that there is only one Government in the country?" The agencies involved should not act as if they are competing against each other. It was hard to get that message across and the Minister will also find it hard. I know, however, that with his determination he will overcome that "silo" view of the world. Will he try to expedite this issue and agree to a meeting between Coiste Áras Rónáin, the HSE, departmental officials and the county council? That would help the committee in providing the relevant information and might simplify the procedures required to be followed. Ultimately, the State is the tenant and I cannot understand the reason we must make matters so complicated. I am sure if all the parties involved got around the table, they would crack in one day what might take months to crack with letters going back and forth. I have experience of trying to get the State to move away from the "silo" attitude and know it can be difficult. However, I hope the Minister, like me, will do his best to ensure this attitude does not prevail.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am delighted the Deputy's long experience is coming into play, as he has a great reputation of beinga ble to knock heads together in agencies and local authorities. I am sure he could try it on this occasion also. If there is a response to the letter we have sent, we can see what progress can be made. We must receive a response in line with the terms and conditions of what was approved ten years ago. There is a legal difficulty in sorting the matter in the manner in which Áras Rónáin wishes to resolve it. There is a solution, however, if we go down the route of a leasing arrangement. I am certainly prepared to work with the Deputy to ensure the lack of co-operation sometimes evident between agencies can be overcome.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There are two agencies involved.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I understand that and that the Deputy has much experience. He had plenty of opportunities to ensure we had fewer rather than more agencies.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I did that.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am trying to solve the problem and the manner I suggest involves a leasing arrangement that could be entered into under certain conditions. If we receive a response to the initiative taken by the Department, perhaps we might make progress.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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What about the HSE? If one set of conditions is laid down, the HSE might not be happy; the result is that we are caught between two State agencies. Will the Department liaise directly with the HSE to sort out the matter?

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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If I receive a response to the letter, I will be prepared to revert to the Deputy to see where we can make progress.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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That would be appreciated.