Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister of State. I am delighted she could attend to discuss this matter regarding Ballinasloe Social Services. It is a wonderful organisation that provides an amazing service to the elderly in Ballinasloe and in the outlying areas of Kiltormer, Lawrencetown, Clontuskert, Kilconnell, Aughrim, Cappataggle, Taughmaconnell, Moore and Clonfad.

Ballinasloe Social Services has a minibus and it brings people to the centre four days a week. People who avail of the services are referred by the general practitioners, GPs, public health nurses, social workers and family carers. Ballinasloe Social Services has a range of activities. It provides lunch for the elderly, music every Tuesday, exercise programmes, computer classes, arts and crafts and card playing. A Health Service Executive, HSE, community physiotherapist visits on a regular basis to maximise the independence and support or improve the quality of life of the older person. A chiropodist provides a clinic on a monthly basis.

There are two elements in the service. There is a day care service which is availed of by 62 elderly people. There is currently a waiting list of 13 for this service. The meals-on-wheels service is availed of by 65 elderly people, 27 of whom also avail of the day care service. Approximately 100 elderly people can remain in their own homes and communities as a result of the service provided by Ballinasloe Social Services.

The centre is staffed by a HSE nurse and a part-time social services nurse. However, since January 2013 the HSE post has not been filled on a permanent basis. Cover is provided from St. Brendan's community nursing unit in Loughrea on a daily basis from a pool of seven or eight nurses. The inconsistency gives rise to uncertainty as a different person could be there every day providing the service. That is not the best type of service to provide to elderly people.

With regard to its funding, the section 39 grant from the HSE has decreased over the years from €146,700 in 2008 to €131,000 in 2015. In 2014, it cost approximately €259,000 to provide the service to the elderly. This figure is similar to the figure for other years as the centre watches its costs very closely. A balance of €128,000 must be raised through fund-raising and service charges. This is unsustainable in the long term and puts enormous pressure on the staff and volunteers. Much time and effort is spent fund-raising each year which could be better spent in providing much needed services to the elderly citizens.This is compounded by the fact that Ballinasloe is a RAPID programme town, in which there are high levels of deprivation and where the opportunities to fundraise are limited. We are looking for two things: for the nursing embargo to be lifted in this exceptional case to allow one person to be appointed to this post and for an immediate increase in the section 39 grant to enable Ballinasloe Social Services to continue providing the necessary services for the elderly people of Ballinasloe and surrounding areas.

Ballinasloe Social Services provides an amazing facility. The staff and volunteers are kind and caring and provide a warm and homely environment for the elderly persons in their care. I pay particular tribute to the staff but also to the large number of volunteers who give generously of their time to improve the lives of others. There is a wonderful atmosphere in the place which I have seen on the many occasions I have been there and I want it to continue to develop. Through this wonderful service, many elderly persons are enabled to remain in their homes, something the Minister of State and the Government are promoting very strongly and as a result of which, there are significant savings to the State.

To repeat my request, we want a nurse appointed on a full-time basis and an increase in the section 39 grant to enable the huge burden of fundraising that has to be borne by staff and volunteers to be reduced in the coming years. I thank the Minister of State for attending to deal with this matter.