Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister. I served with him on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions, which was a pleasure. I congratulate him on his elevation to higher office and wish him well in it. He has a very important brief and I am very grateful that he has been able to come to the House so soon after taking up his post to discuss an issue which relates to the crossover from the HSE to Tusla, or the Child and Family Agency as it might be known, and the different services being transferred. I am raising the case of Ballinasloe Therapeutic Learning Centre which delivers a number of programmes for children and families in the Ballinasloe area. Its aims are to encourage the early referral of children; provide practical support, training and advice for parents; provide an assessment facility for children; and carry out appropriate intervention programmes. It looks to develop children's life skills.

I understand that under section 10 which deals with the provision of funding by the HSE, the centre received €19,000 to deliver two particular programmes. One dealt with group speech and language therapy sessions, while the other delivered individual sessions for the children involved. My understanding is that, with the setting up of Tusla, half of this funding or more is being cut. The centre is being told that it can no longer continue the group speech and language therapy sessions. This will seriously hinder the delivery of its programmes. I understand it has made inquiries with the HSE locally through the primary, community and continuing care service and been told no funding will be available to it to cover the shortfall. I also understand staff in Tusla are quite shocked by this and the allocation the centre has been given.

There is a sense that the setting up of Tusla involves not only a reorganisation of the facilities and services but is also a cover for cutbacks to be made, of which this might be a manifestation. I hope this is not the case and that the Minister is here to tell us this has been an aberration in the change from one system to another; that this essential and very necessary service for children in the Ballinasloe area and their families can be maintained; and that heads can be banged together in respect of the funding of €10,000 which has been taken away. The HSE states it is not its problem, while Tusla states it does not have the money. I hope the Minister can take this on issue in his new role and resolve it.