Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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We are in trouble with time. We could perhaps gain a little time with Deputy Niamh Smyth. That is no reflection on anyone, but it would be good to gain a little time. I call Deputy Niamh Smyth.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for her latitude. I want to talk to the Minister of State about the hydrotherapy pool in Enable Ireland in Cavan, which I was very privileged to bring her to see. I want to thank her publicly for the time she spent in Cavan-Monaghan to visit many of our disability services.

I am sure she was as shocked as I was to see a wonderful facility lying closed when so many children and adults in our disability services could desperately do with such a facility in order to improve their care. The facility cost in the region of €500,000 to build and was opened four years ago. To my dismay, it lies empty and unused four years on. It has to be acknowledged that the cost of the building was not covered by the HSE alone; local people believed in the facility, got behind it and fundraised to see it built. When the building work was completed by Enable Ireland, it went about a recruitment process and put in place a part-time pool attendant in late 2018. Unfortunately, the post holder only remained in place for about six months. The pool has lain empty and the facility has been closed since then.

The Minister of State was, as I said, as gobsmacked as I was to see the facility lying empty, the paint peeling off the walls, and the good staff at Enable Ireland being left with an empty and unattended hydrotherapy pool for the past four years. It is nothing short of disgraceful. I got a real sense from the staff during the visit that strong intervention is needed on our part to ensure that the facility is opened, it has the money required to put an attendant in place, put water into the pool, get the service up and running as quickly as possible and bring this integral part of the facility back into play as part of the services required. Enable Ireland recently submitted a business case to the HSE for funding to cover the running costs, including employing a full-time pool attendant at the centre, and that the figure is in the region of €60,000 per annum. Money will need to be spent on remedial works at the facility. This should be doable, considering the overall budget for health care and disability services.

The Minister of State has a passion for this area, and her visit on that day meant so much to the staff, parents and service users. To see a facility like a hydrotherapy pool which could be used as part of rehabilitation programmes for the area lying idle is disappointing. It is a magnificent facility to have. I understand it is the only one in community health organisation, CHO, 1. For the information of anybody listening to the debate, that includes Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo.

I would welcome anything the Minister of State can do. As I said, she has been very passionate about all things to do with disability services. However, if it had not been for her visit on the day I would not be as aware as I am that a magnificent building and facility is not being used. The Minister of State had great ideas on the day of her visit about how we could go outside of service users if funding is an issue. Hard work has been done and €500,000 has been spent to put the facility in place. To say that we need money to paint the walls, put water in the pool and provide a pool attendant seems a very shallow answer as to why a pool has lain empty for four years. Perhaps the Minister of State can throw some light on the situation. I appeal her to do all she can to ensure that this is up and running as soon as possible.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. On a broader level, it provides me with an opportunity to restate the Government's commitment to children and young people with disabilities, as well as their families.

In the first instance, I wish to state that I visited the facility in April, to which the Deputy alluded. I saw first-hand the hydrotherapy pool lying idle. The service covers the Cavan-Monaghan area. Following inquiries by my officials, the HSE has advised that Enable Ireland commissioned completion of the hydrotherapy pool in 2018. At that time, it secured some funding for a pool attendant. The pool attendant was there for about six months, and after that we ran into the debacle with Covid. The pool lay idle in 2019, 2020, 2021 and into 2022.

The Deputy used the term "gobsmacked". I was equally as gobsmacked because I see the value of the hydrotherapy pool in Holy Angels in Carlow, which is used continuously. It is not just used for young people who are listed as having disabilities; it is also open to the wider public in the evenings and at weekends. On another level, it is available for players recovering from various injuries. We do not need to rely on the National Rehabilitation Hospital when facilities are available in local areas.

With regard to the opening of the facility, Enable Ireland has submitted a business case to the HSE, which is currently going through the assessment process. It is seeking pay costs for a full pool attendant and non-pay running costs. I understand the figures break down to approximately €50,000 to pay a pool attendant and €10,000 for running costs. In terms of the overall health budget, in particular that part relating to disability, given the value of hydrotherapy for young people and older persons, a figure of €50,000 seems to be very good value for money. We also need to look outside the box in how we deliver therapies. It is not just about going into a room and doing one-to-one work. There are other ways of delivering therapies. As a passionate swimmer, I believe in the role of hydrotherapy. I also believe in the role of rehabilitation.

At local management level, the HSE has advised that it will seek funding in 2023. In terms of cost related savings, it should look to see what is available at this moment in time. We should not wait until 2023 to paint walls or put water back into the pool. We should do work on a trial basis to get the facility up running, determine the appetite for the service and create awareness. If there are other hydrotherapy pools and facilities used by the HSE, I ask the wider public to make me aware of that. A pool lying idle is not serving the people of Cavan-Monaghan or the rest of CHO 1.. We walked into the room by accident. It was not part of the visit; I just happened to ask about a wing in the facility. To have the pool lying idle is wilful neglect of the people of the area.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for her positive response. There are questions to be answered as to why a pool has lain idle for the past four years. I know there is no point in going back and we need to be positive and look forward, but it is not good enough to say that Covid is the reason why a hydrotherapy pool has lain idle for the past four years. Covid has been going on for two years, but the Minister of State and I know that disability services have been up and running as much as possible, even through Covid. I do not buy that, and I think it is an excuse that can be used. There are questions to be answered when a facility has lain idle for four years.

On the positive side, I want the money to be invested and do not want any more delays in getting the facility up and running. The Minister of State is absolutely right. We need to think about the service beyond 4.30 p.m. or 5 p.m. It is a facility that could be used until 10 p.m. each day of the week and at weekends. Breffni county grounds are located beside the facility. If the area outside the service cannot be used, people could use it. I encourage the Minister of State to do whatever it takes to get this open.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I take on board what the Deputy has said. This is a priority for me. I am delighted that Enable Ireland has submitted its business case. I am equally delighted that the HSE is looking over it. I do not think we need to ponder to long on this because funding was awarded in the past and should be awarded again.