Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Absolutely, but I am mindful the Department officials are following the debate and they are the people who need to pay very close attention. There is much positive commentary about iCARE and Bluestack Special Needs Foundation and that is very welcome, particularly the model they use that integrates the young people, children and their families and works in partnership with the wider community. It is a fantastic groundbreaking model but the organisations are being taken for granted. This is the point. They do not need pats on the back. They do not commendation. They need money and resources. They need the ability to deliver these services on an ongoing basis.

There was absolute funding discrimination in the outrageous allocation earlier this year. It is shocking that an EU co-financed programme with millions of euro for disability support organisations throughout the State - a so-called national programme - included only one organisation north of the line from Galway to Dublin, with Donegal excluded. A very large geographic area was totally excluded from funding. On the back of the outrage from this some funding was provided to both organisations. What we need now is for this to be formalised. We need a service level agreement for iCARE and Bluestack Special Needs Foundation and we need it confirmed this year. I am delighted the HSE in Donegal is backing us 100%. We need the Government to do the same and we need confirmation of this as soon as possible.

If confirmation is not given by the end of this year there will be absolute war from the people of Donegal. We will not accept these two organisations being left behind again. If the Government does not do what is right this time the people of Donegal will have a war with the decision-makers in Dublin.