O’SULLIVAN TO RAISE BAWNMORE CUTBACKS AS PRIORITY QUESTION IN DAIL LATER TODAY
Issued : Tuesday 22 June, 2010
Labour Deputy & Party Spokesperson on Health Jan O’Sullivan will today raise as a priority question in Dail Eireann the draconian funding cutbacks that have resulted in the closure of an essential respite house managed by Bawnmore in Limerick.
I have received numerous representations from concerned frightened elderly parents about the effect the closure of this respite house will have on their lives. I recently attended a protest by parents, relatives, and friends on behalf of all those people availing of services from the Brothers of Charity in Bawnmore.
‘It is an immoral scandal that an extra €2 billion of taxpayers money was given to Anglo Irish bank two weeks ago on top of a previous injection of €12 billion by this Government, while €1 million to maintain essential frontline services in Bawnmore in Limerick can’t be found.
I am calling on the Minister for Health to immediately allocate the €157,000 that is needed to allow this vital service to be reopened immediately. This house cannot be allowed to remain closed as it is a life line for over 63 families who look after and care for those with special needs and intellectual disabilities.
Where are those people with intellectual disabilities going to go or who will care for them if their parents or relatives are sick and unable to look after them?
Other residential services provided at Bawnmore are also under severe threat because of a shortfall of €1 million in core funding for this year. It is callous in the extreme to target the most vulnerable of our citizens and if this Government has any shred of dignity they will restore the funding to enable these basic essential services to be restored.
Management at Bawnmore have and continue to make every reasonable effort to reduce costs and expenditure were possible and practicable however the situation is now so serious due to funding cutbacks that basic core frontline services will now have to be down graded.
We cannot allow a situation to develop were elderly parents and guardians of those availing of these services are now forced into an impossible scenario of trying to care for their love ones with no back or support and assistance.
This crisis requires political leadership and intervention to reverse the decision by a faceless bureaucrat who made this decision within the HSE with absolutely no regard what so ever for the loving care and professional service provided by the management and staff in Bawnmore.
Once I highlight this crisis today in the Dail I hope Minister Harney will order the reversal of these dreadful draconian measures
