Seanad debates

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

5:00 am

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I am a great admirer of the work done by the Jack and Jill foundation. If the funding was available and I had the power in the morning, I would make it available to facilitate the service continuing up to the age of six and to relieve some of the financial pressures on the foundation. As the Senator knows, there are huge financial difficulties. There is a huge battle to meet the diversity of needs, pressures and obligations in the health service. There is a huge battle for the Minister for Health and the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, to fund existing services, and instead of room for expansion on additional expenditure, we have to effect substantial additional expenditure reductions due to the appalling state of the national finances, with so much more spent by the State than it receives in income.

I am happy to follow up this case with the Minister of State. I do not want to make promises that cannot be kept. I draw the correspondence to her attention. I want to ensure anything that can be done will be done in so far as she has any possible room to intervene with the HSE or follow up matters.

I am very conscious there are often dangers and possible health risks in a young person such as the person described by the Senator moving out of the home environment. With all the pressures family members are under they are familiar with dealing with such a young person in the state of extreme difficulty described by the Senator. There is a huge advantage in a continuity of care from a third party who has been involved at nursing level with the young person for some time, as opposed to others who may not be as familiar with that person's condition being brought in where the more experienced person may be readily available and willing to continue, provided they could be appropriately funded.

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