Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this morning. I am seeking an update on the proposed extension of services at Errigal Truagh Special Needs Day Care Centre in Knockconan, Emyvale, County Monaghan. The Minister of State's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, kindly met this group on Tuesday last at my request for the second time this year and was very impressed by the group's enthusiasm for the service it is providing down at Errigal Truagh. Indeed, I commend the Minister of State again on her work in the disabilities Department as it relates to my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. During her term we saw the official opening last Tuesday of a new children's respite facility in the county, which is much-needed and long overdue.We have the seen the expansion of adult day services at Steadfast House, Carrickmacross. We have seen an allocation of €7.5 million towards the expansion of Drumlin House at Cootehill, and the proposed new development to replace Knockcarrig House in Cavan. The reign of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has been a very successful one as far as my constituency is concerned. I thank her personally in that regard.

To go back to Errigal Truagh, staff there operate an adult disability day service. They do an excellent job. Any service user who comes in contact with them enjoys and has a great time in that service. However, because the service has been so successful, it is now oversubscribed and is in need of an extension. The group has not sat on its laurels. It has been very energetic in that it has secured planning permission for this proposed extension to its services, which in addition to providing more adult day services will also provide the potential for a children's respite day service that, again, is much-needed. As I said, planning permission has been secured. The project has been completely funded. The group has been working tirelessly with the local HSE with a view to progressing this project to the HSE at national level. We are now at a point whereby it is hoped that the time-related savings in the capital plan will result in some moneys being unspent, and that this project at Errigal Truagh will be able to get its hands, if you like, on some of that funding. I hope we will have good news in that regard and that this much-needed project will be able to progress. Again, I cannot commend this group highly enough on the work it does. All the service users who come in contact with the service have nothing but positive things to say about it.

The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has been working on this. I spoke to her again yesterday and to her office staff this morning on the issue. We are hopeful that moneys will be left unspent that will potentially be allocated to Errigal Truagh Special Needs so it can continue the good work it is doing. I look forward to the Minister of State's response.