I thank the Minister for coming to the House to respond to this matter. St. Raphael's in Celbridge cares for people with learning disabilities. Its core values are respect, excellence, hospitality, compassion and justice. It cares for 312 people, varying in ages from birth to retirement. The disabilities of these people vary from profound to moderate. I compliment the staff and the voluntary helpers who care for these, the most deserving of our citizens.
Sufficient resources are not provided to cater for existing pupils and patients and the order is forced to rely on various charities, including bingo, flag days and an annual fete. It is an insult to these, our special citizens, that they are required to depend on the coldness of charity for their rights. It is also a waste of very valuable professional time as professionals must get involved in organising these charity events to barely make ends meet.
To cater adequately for the numbers now at St. Raphael's, a further 80 nurses are required. These are not additional nurses as the centre is 80 short of its complement. The additional annual cost would be £500,000. The centre has long waiting lists, 25 people on which are acutely in need of residential places. Pressure for respite from parents who care for these patients and children who are on the waiting list is increasing daily. Currently there are only three respite places at St. Raphael's. This lack of places leads to emergencies and a crisis for both parents and providers of the service. There is a requirement to provide a 20 bed respite unit consisting of a ten bed unit for children and a ten bed unit for adults. This would require £600,000 in capital expenditure and an annual revenue of £400,000.
Another 30 to 40 patients who are suitable for sheltered community living could be provided with that thereby freeing places in the centre for those on the waiting list. This would cost £200,000 in capital expenditure and £60,000 in revenue.
Traditionally the St. John of God's centre provided for boys and men only. It is now required to provide services for females, but the centre has no facilities for females. Funding of £5 million would be necessary to provide places for these women who are now in the centre's catchment area and who are entitled to the services available to males.
I ask the Minister to face up to the reality of the changed situation concerning learning disability. These people are now living much longer and as a result require a new range of services.
St. Raphael's also has an acute problem as some of its patients with learning difficulties are psychiatric patients. When these are sent to psychiatric institutions, they are returned to St. Raphael's as they have learning disabilities. St. Raphael's simply has no suitable facilities for psychiatric patients.
I know the Minister visited the centre and gave certain general undertakings at the time. I am not asking him to put his hand in his pocket this evening and create a miracle, but to examine the very special needs of the centre's catchment area which was previously serviced in various ways and is now required to be served by the Order of St. John of God. I ask the Minister to examine how the additional top-up provision, which is not large as much provision has already been made, can be provided to meet the gap between the very large number of services being provided and what is required. In particular I do not want the Minister to say everything is okay at St. Raphael's as this is not the case. A crisis exists there due to a shortage of staff and the waiting list.