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

I thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. As he said, he and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, have at all times been championing this project. The Senator referred to Touching Hearts and I know Deputy Butler often talks about her niece, Amy, who attends its services.

I will be honest and give the Senator some information that will not be in my script. I really struggled to get a response for him today. The response I got is nothing more than a response of no progress, to be honest. It talks about my priorities. We all know my priorities, and capital is one of my them. Senator Cummins, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and I continuously champion projects that have been long-fingered for far too long. I take on board exactly what the Senator has asked for, which is the fast-tracking of this project. I again thank the Touching Hearts charity for its enormous fundraising of €1 million.

Before I came to the House today, the current position regarding the project was brought to my attention. The stage 1 report from the design team in quarter 3 of 2023 estimated that the cost of the project would be dealt with through a significant funding allocation. The HSE disability services and HSE capital and estates are arranging stakeholder engagement to review the project and to provide a revised scheme of works for funding approval. The revised scope of works is expected to be completed in the next few months.

This was a priority when the Senator raised it as a Commencement matter back in 2021.It was prioritised within that capital plan to move it along. What the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, said on the floor of this Chamber has not been honoured. I will have to ask HSE estates why not. It is regrettable news for people listening in because St. Otteran's has been on the capital plan since 2014, ten years ago. At all times, I have tried to move St. Otteran's through the capital plan. There is communication from my office, over and back, where prioritisation has been given to St. Otteran's. The wonderful service it provides to the most vulnerable is critically needed. The staff that work there are amazing because they provide phenomenal support and services to the most vulnerable, but the conditions are not what we expect our staff to work in. Given the amount of equipment and storage required, they cannot deliver the interventions that are so needed.

The Senator is right that the ask in 2014 and the ask in 2024 are different. All the family, staff and board require is a fit-for-purpose building that any child who has to access it would be proud to enter. To meet basic needs, we need a far more welcoming, inclusive environment than the bricks and mortar that welcome those young people today. I will continue to work with the Senator and with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I will convene that task force as soon as I can.