Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Senator is welcome. To be quite honest with him, I can answer his question in two ways. If it is a section 38 or 39 organisation that can purchase the property, in conjunction with the HSE, then the project can be turned around really quickly. If it is HSE estates that I must depend on to deliver the project then I will wait. My ask is that we would partner with a section 38 or 39 organisation that already delivers services and knows the families in the area. Such a project can be operationalised very quickly. The revenue funding is there for it. If there were a property that was a four or five-bedroom house then that could be repurposed into providing respite care. Normally, when we consider respite care I look at the two front-door models for children, which are children who have mild to moderate needs and children who have more sensory needs. Edel, who is the disability manager and in whom I have full confidence, will certainly make the project her priority.

I have a further comment and ask the Acting Chairperson to be flexible.