John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the reply. It provides clarity but I am dismayed and disappointed. I will not leave it at that. The grant of €3,700 per annum is paltry considering the scale and extent of services. The HSE is downplaying the significance of the role of this day care centre because it goes well beyond the remit. In terms of the well-being of the senior citizens who enjoy these facilities, it plays a central role in keeping them hale, hearty and out of hospital and other institutions that would cost considerably more.

If the HSE cannot come up with the €100,000, it is incumbent upon it to upgrade the existing building, which is important and very accessible to all the people in the heart of the town, or assist in sourcing an alternative building as suitable premises. It should have done that in advance of essentially hoodwinking the local community, getting the elderly citizens into a new premises and then closing the door behind their backs. I am not happy with the way the HSE went about its business in this case, and I will not be leaving it so.