Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to address this very serious issue. As the Minister of State is aware, HIQA released a report in December regarding financial irregularities in the Greenmount property at the St. Mary's, Drumcar, campus of St. John of God. The report found that the residential centre for people with disabilities took thousands of euro from the private accounts of residents without their consent to fund services which the centre should have funded. At the time, the St. John of God campus was home to 22 residents with intellectual and physical disabilities. This fraudulent activity included taking €2,300 from a resident for a specialised armchair. Another resident was charged €2,500 for an armchair and a bone density scan and another resident was charged €552 for a body brace. Bone density scans cost, at most, €100. This is absolute exploitation of the most vulnerable in our society.

Last week, we heard recollections from the advocacy group, SAGE, of a patient with dementia being charged €20 per month for activities that she could not participate in. In addition, another resident was charged €100 for laundry identification tags. There was a weekly charge for a doctor, which was totally immoral because the patient had a medical card. This is absolute fraud and it needs to be addressed.

In response last week, four of the eight residential units at the St. John of God facility in Drumcar were deemed not fit for purpose by HIQA. As my party colleague, Deputy Declan Breathnach, has rightly pointed out, Drumcar needs investment and support, not to be closed down. He will be calling on the Minister in the Dáil for support to ensure the facilities at Drumcar are improved to provide modern delivery of care for the many who still need institutionalised care at the facility. We are trying to get away from congregated settings to community settings; we need integration and not segregation. Currently there are over 2,723 people in congregated settings. The Minister of State needs to initiate a full review of the services provided by St. John of God in Drumcar and to meet the needs of the facility head-on by investing in what is required.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, I thank Senator Swanick for raising this important issue. The Government’s ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service. Regulation and inspection of residential centres for people with disabilities was placed on a statutory footing in November 2013 and compliance with HIQA standards is a requirement under the service level agreement between the HSE and non-statutory disability service providers.

The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, is aware of HIQA’s ongoing concerns regarding the safety and care of residents at the St. John of God, Drumcar, facility in Louth, following numerous inspections the regulator has carried out there. As a fully independent regulator, established under the 2007 Health Act, HIQA has very significant regulatory powers. It is engaging directly with St. John of God leadership and senior management on the serious issues identified in its numerous inspections. A separate review of services would be of no benefit while this process is ongoing.

When initial HIQA inspections began in 2014, they uncovered a lack of understanding on the part of some service providers in terms of meeting regulations and standards. This was particularly true in the case of many of the large congregated settings where longstanding institutionalised care practices were impacting adversely on the quality of life of residents. The Government recognised this and has committed significant resources to escalate the movement of residents from inappropriate, congregated settings to more appropriate living arrangements. Capital funding of €100 million has been allocated over the period 2016 to 2021 to facilitate the reconfiguration of residential services. This capital funding for five successive years will support the move from congregated settings.In this context, 11 specific sites were prioritised for capital funding in 2016 owing to significant issues with complications with regulatory requirements in these locations. St. John of God North East Services, St. Mary’s, Drumcar is one of the priority sites.

Every person who uses disability services is entitled to expect and receive care of the highest standard and to live in dignity and safety. Our aim must always be to ensure people with disabilities maximise their potential and live rich and fulfilling lives. They and their families trust us to care for them with kindness and compassion. The HSE is implementing a comprehensive change programme of measures to improve the quality and safety of residential services for people with disabilities. While the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA's findings may sometimes make for difficult reading such as in case of the Drumcar facility, they serve as evidence that the regulatory process works effectively and in the interests of protecting vulnerable persons in the care of the State.

While a lot of work remains to be carried out to ensure all facilities comply with disability residential standards and this is presenting challenges for both the HSE and some disability service providers, we must remember that the fundamental objective at all times is to safeguard vulnerable persons. HIQA will continue to take action when standards are not met and where providers are failing to provide residents with a good quality of life.

Senators raised the matter of money being taken from residents. I have no answer and do not know whether the Minister will be able to come back to them on it. I do not have any information on it in the reply.

Keith Swanick (Fianna Fail)
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That is exactly why an independent review of the services provided at Drumcar is needed. It is also why I am bitterly disappointed a specialised review of the facility is not taking place. We need to remember that the population is getting older. In the next 30 years the number of people over 65 will double, while the number over 85 will quadruple. All aspects of the health system will be under strain, especially residential units. There is no point in providing residential units if they will be substandard. For that reason, I encourage the Minister of State to bring the message back to the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, that an independent review of the facility in Drumcar is needed.

Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator. I am sure the Minister of State will do that.

Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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I will pass on the information to the Minister.