Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, who I met yesterday to discuss this and other issues. I thank the Senator for raising this issue as it affords me an opportunity to highlight the important work done by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency to ensure crisis pregnancy counselling is available free of charge to any woman who needs it. That counselling allows women a safe space in which to discuss and assess their circumstances and choices and supports them in making an informed decision. Improving access to and delivery of crisis pregnancy counselling services and post-abortion medical and counselling services is one of the strategic objectives set out in the agency's current strategy, which covers the period from 2007 to 2011. Easy access and consistently high standards are also priorities. The agency funds a broad range of organisations to provide such services.

The crisis pregnancy service at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe to which the Senator refers is one such service, the agency funding for which commenced in 2003. The CPA's current three-year service level agreement at the hospital is due to end on 30 June 2010. This excellent crisis pregnancy counselling service provides a model of care that is delivered both on site at Portiuncula Hospital as part of the hospital's maternity service and through a local outreach service in Ballinasloe which is located in a general practitioner practice. The service sees clients from a broad catchment area in the west and has a flexible model of service delivery, which is essential in rural areas. The grant assistance provided by the agency is for the post of a full-time social worker and part-time administrator in addition to providing support with training and supervision as well as overheads associated with the service.

Under the terms of the agency's service level agreement, it is contracted to provide funding of €124,800 per annum to the service in Ballinasloe. It is specified in the agency's funding criteria, terms and conditions, as approved by the Minister, that this funding is dependent on the availability of resources to the agency. The amount of funding provided for the service in 2009 was reduced by 2.3% in response to the requirement to make savings in the public interest. The agency has also worked in partnership with the Ballinasloe service in the commissioning of research into the area of concealed pregnancy, which is one of the many complex issues the service encounters day to day. The service was also involved in the development of concealed pregnancy guidelines by the agency for use in maternity settings. These guidelines have now been disseminated to maternity hospitals throughout the State to assist in the delivery of appropriate care to clients presenting with concealed pregnancies. The service is represented on the course advisory board of the National University of Ireland's certificate in crisis pregnancy counselling skills which is funded by the agency. In addition to supporting the delivery of the service, the agency has supported the continuing professional development of its staff and has funded the participation of the services' social worker in the NUI certificate.

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is due to be merged within the Health Service Executive on 1 January 2010 as part of the Government programme of rationalisation of agencies and, under legislation, liabilities under existing contracts will also transfer as part of the merger. Given that the agency is coming to the end of a three-year funding cycle in mid-2010, it is due to commence negotiations with all existing service providers in the first quarter of 2010 with a view to agreeing new three-year agreements for ongoing services from 1 July 2010. It is expected that a large majority of providers will be offered such a contract. The matter will become clearer once the Estimates for 2010 are determined and decisions made in regard to the allocations for health agencies.

I assure the Senator that the important work which the Crisis Pregnancy Agency carries out will continue. There are several factors which will ensure this happens. The Health Service Executive already has statutory powers under the Health Act 2004 which allows it to fund service providers of health and personal social services. Part 6 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009 specifies the functions of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency which are to transfer to the executive. Plans for the integration of the agency into the executive and for the continuation of its work within HSE structures are being progressed by the Department of Health and Children, the HSE and the agency and are well advanced. The Minister wishes to assure the House of her ongoing commitment to the funding of crisis pregnancy services.