Seanad debates

Thursday, 1 December 2022

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Health Services

10:30 am

Photo of Tim LombardTim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is more than welcome. I appreciate her attendance her. This morning I raise the significant issue that has emerged with CoAction in west Cork in the last ten days. I know the Minister of State's office has been made aware of it. This is the significant issue in terms of what is happening to the services CoAction provides locally in west Cork. It pertains to the plans for Bayview House, which is to be renovated, and how that is to be moved forward. The proposal, which has been brought forward, is that it will use the child and family centre, which is a purpose-built family centre that cost €1.3 million, the majority of which was fundraised locally, on a permanent basis. The residents of Bayview House will be relocated to that site on a permanent basis. It has created a ferocious furore in west Cork, and rightly so. People depend on the services that are provided in this wonderful complex on a daily basis. They fundraised for it and it is a part of their community. It is a purpose-built building that cost €1.3 million and now it going to be renovated so that it can be changed for another use. That will cost another considerable sum of money.

There is a knock-on implication. There are several complexes, including two buildings in Castletownbere, which are idle at the moment. They can be part of the solution. There is great disappointment with the communication between the CEO and board of CoAction and the residents. We have had a week of no information. The only significant information the residents got was from a Gaeltacht programme yesterday which featured the CEO and a patron of the services. That created a ferocious furore because there are users who are Irish speakers, but some are not. They find it hard to get the information back and have it translated. There are major issues with communication. The board and CEO of CoAction need to communicate with patrons of the service. That communication has not happened in the past ten days. An AGM to which I was not invited was held in Skibbereen last week. The information came out before and during the AGM. We learned of the knock-on implications a week later but there has been no communication from the board. We need clarity. The Minister of State knows better than I do that parents whose children need these services are to the pin of their collar. Any change in services is a huge issue for them. The lack of interaction and understanding and the failure to provide the support they require feed the rumour mill. For this reason, people in west Cork do not have clarity about the next step.

I am delighted the Minister of State came on short notice to the Chamber to discuss this issue. I am aware there are several people watching because it is such a significant issue. The Minister of State's party colleague, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, has been very strong on this issue. As a Government, we have been doing our best to provide these services but we need information and clarity. The Minister of State's intervention this morning is very much welcomed.

Photo of Anne RabbitteAnne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter and welcome the opportunity to provide an update on it. I am told this morning that the proposal to repurpose CoAction child and family centre in Bantry into a residential for adults is in response to several recent HIQA reports which highlighted unsuitable premises at the Bayview-Seskin residential unit. In light of this, the HSE requested that CoAction review properties for rent or sale in Bantry and the wider area as an alternative to repurposing the existing administration building. The HSE also maintained contact with CoAction with regard to existing HSE buildings in the area. The HSE has stated that it is advised that appropriate housing stock in the area continues to be extremely limited. Timelines involved in bringing potential properties to a standard that will meet appropriate regulations are also a consideration given the pressing nature for placing of residents in safe and appropriate accommodation. I am advised that the completion of the residential unit refit in Bayview, when coupled with the repurposing of the administration building, will keep vital residential services in the area and create an additional capacity of up to six residential overnight respite placements.

While I appreciate the pressure CoAction may be under, I do not agree with the removal of children's services from their current location. I cannot be clearer. I have seen the building, and it is an impressive asset to have. I understand great upset was aired by families at CoAction's AGM last week and I can entirely see why this has left families upset, concerned, frustrated and taking to social media with their children to tell their stories and outline why they need to retain this service. While I compliment CoAction on an excellent, efficient service in children's teams, the removal of that and the weaponising of children to lobby to keep a service is wrong.

I will share something that is still in draft mode. I have the progressing disability services, PDS, roadmap in front of me. It states that, as an example, the CDNT team in west Cork, which was established in 2013, reported no vacancies in October 2021 and, at the end of August 2022, had no child waiting longer than three months for an initial contact. When I first received that information, I asked if we could check it with the HSE and also check the parliamentary questions to make sure it was accurate. Within a week, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan told me what is unfolding in Deputy Lombard's area. I again make clear that there can and will be no closure of children's services. I will work with the HSE and CoAction to ensure children's services remain in place while we address HIQA concerns at Bayview and undertake repurposing to ensure the users have the best purpose-built building, but not at the expense of the children.

Photo of John McGahonJohn McGahon (Fine Gael)
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Before I call on Senator Lombard, I welcome the friends and family of Ronan Scully to Seanad Éireann today. Ronan received the Human Dignity Award and he and his friends are here as guests of Senator Mullen. It is great to have them here today.

Photo of Tim LombardTim Lombard (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for her passionate and powerful response. For the families affected by this issue, particularly in the past ten days, it has been upsetting to say the least. I have been understated in the terminology I am using about the implications of what has happened and how it has knocked confidence in system. It would be wonderful if the Minister of State could find time in her diary to meet the parents in question. They are a wonderful group of people. They are passionate and courageous and are doing their utmost to make sure their families and children are protected. If the Minister of State could find time in her diary to meet them, it would be a wonderful gesture. Her statement gives us great hope that there will be no change to the service or the location. That is what the general public and these parents are fighting hard for and want for their families. I thank the Minister of State for coming at short notice. I deeply appreciate her statement.

Photo of Anne RabbitteAnne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to be associated with welcoming of Ronan Scully's family to the Gallery. Ronan lives in Galway, so I am proud to have that connection and I acknowledge the wonderful work he does.

Let us be clear about this. Recently, the HSE informed me that the work CoAction is doing in west Cork under PDS is one of the better examples around the country. I struggle to find good, so is it not great to find it in west Cork? Is it not great that I can point to it and say that is what good looks like? If someone is thinking of putting that at risk, it will not be on my watch. I need to have good because I struggle to find good in the 91 teams.

I am delighted the Senator brought up the issue in Castletownbere, where we have properties standing idle. Why not put a plan in place to retrofit and repurpose those houses while we transition the development of the house needed at Bayview? With a little bit of logical, proactive thinking from all concerned, including my Department, the HSE and CoAction, we can find a solution.