Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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39. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the transfer of ownership of respite facilities from the HSE to a third party as in the case of a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50835/18]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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This questions relates to the Seaview respite care home in Donegal town, which has recently been handed over by the HSE to RehabCare for the provision of respite services for children and young people and for people with an intellectual disability. What are the views of the Department of Health about this? How does the Department see that this change will improve the services? The HSE could not recruit staff to run the health centre so I do not know how the private sector can do it.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this very important issue. Again, I stress that this Government's ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service. We are committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives. Earlier this year, the Government provided an extra €10 million to the HSE to allow it to open 12 additional respite houses across each community health organisation area. When fully operational, these houses will provide 19,000 extra overnight stays and 2,520 home sharing nights annually. Approximately €2 million of that extra money is being targeted at alternative respite services. These practical and important solutions which include extended day services, summer camps and Saturday clubs are making a difference to families across the country.

In response to Deputy Pringle's specific question, I am informed by the HSE that the executive owns Seaview House respite home in Mountcharles, County Donegal, and has no plans to transfer ownership of the facility to a third party. The HSE is engaging a third party provider to deliver respite services at Seaview House because of ongoing challenges in providing a consistent service. These challenges have resulted in a considerable reduction in the amount of respite care available to service users in south Donegal. This is relevant in the context of the issues raised by Deputy Pearse Doherty earlier.

The tender process is now complete and a provider has been identified to deliver this care. The HSE is confident that this new arrangement will be in place by the first quarter of 2019. There will be a planned transfer from the HSE to the new provider to minimise disruption to services and to ensure continuity of care. I assure the Deputy that I will keep a close eye on this matter.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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With all due respect, that is a lovely outline of my question but not an answer. I specifically asked how these changes will improve the service. The HSE failed to provide an adequate service and put it out to tender. A third party will now provide the service and the only difference that this will make is that the HSE will be able to blame the third party. Is that all the Department of Health is interested in doing here? That seems to be the case, based on the response from the Minister of State. I am sorry to say that the response from the Department is very poor.

The HSE is transferring responsibility for respite services at Seaview House to a third party. That is all that is happening here and I cannot see how that will improve the service. I ask the Minister of State to explain how that will improve matters. The only way the service can be improved is by improving working conditions for staff. I ask how the transfer of responsibility for service provision to a third party can help.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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There was a lack of consistency in service provision but there are no plans to transfer the ownership of the facility to a third party.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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I know that.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I am not directly involved in the day-to-day issues here but there are obviously problems with regard to the delivery of services. The HSE has asked a third party to provide respite services and there are some very good service providers all over this State who provide such services on a regular basis. I am confident, as is the HSE, that the new service, with new efficiencies, will be in place in the first quarter of 2019.

As far as I am concerned, we cannot accept a reduction in the level of respite service provision in Donegal, as referred to by Deputies today. We must ensure that adequate respite services for adults with intellectual disabilities are provided. Their needs must come first. I make no apology for saying that the person with the disability comes first.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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I will ask the question again. How will this improve the service? The service is being taken from the HSE and given to a third party. In that way, the HSE can blame the third party when the service does not work. That is the only change here. How does that benefit service users? The Minister of State has said that he does not get involved in day-to-day issues but surely the Department of Health has an interest in how the service is being provided and how the new arrangements will work. The only thing this will do is to provide cover for the HSE so that when things go wrong and are managed badly, it can blame the service provider. That is the only difference here. The Department of Health must take an interest in how the HSE provides services and there is no way that this represents an improvement for either the staff or the service users.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I have been raising this issue for many months and it is connected to my previous question. The Seaview House service provided 316 hours of service in some weeks while in other weeks, service levels were down to 36 hours. There were six weeks last year in which the service did not operate at all and the people who are being caught out here are those who need the service. I have been given assurances by senior managers in the HSE that this service will become a five-day rather than a three-day service in February when the service provider agreement is signed off. They have also assured me that there will be no issues in terms of ensuring that the service runs continuously. Can the Minister of State give the same assurances here on the floor of this House? I ask him to confirm that this service will move from a three-day to a five-day week basis and that the service provider will be able to operate it on that basis. What if it does not do so? What if the third party provider fails to provide an adequate service? What are the Department's plans in that event?

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I assure both Deputies that the HSE, the Department and I, as Minister of State, will keep a very close eye on this situation. According to information provided to me, there were serious challenges in the delivery of services and the HSE came up with a plan to address those challenges. The plan is not about providing cover for the HSE. As I said earlier, we must ensure that high quality services for people with disabilities are delivered. We cannot have a situation where services are only provided three days per week. I totally accept that point. In response to Deputy Doherty's question about a five-day week service, I assure him I will push strongly for that. I am happy to give him a commitment that I will prioritise that issue in talks with the HSE on the service plan for 2019. I would like to see a five-day service in operation at Seaview House.