Seanad Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Jan 2005

Vol. 179 No. 1

Health Board Services.

Mr. U. Burke

I welcome the Minister of State. Will the Minister for Health and Children provide funding for the Health Service Executive western area for the provision of a health and day care centre on the site of the old County Galway Vocational Education Committee building at Gort, County Galway? Will she indicate whether funding was sought for this project by the former health board? The health centre in Gort comprises a small house, utilised by the health service over the years, which is located outside the town on the N18 to Ennis. A general practitioner, public health nurse, secretary and community welfare officer operate from these premises. It is an inadequate facility operating to Third World standards.

When most local people hear the Minister talking about world class services, they want her to visit Gort to see how far the State is from providing proper health services in the town. A site was offered to the former health board by the vocational education committee when the school there was closed. It is ideally located and has ample space for expansion. The committee, as of last Monday, had the offer on hold waiting for the HSE to take it up. The Minister claims the priority is primary health care services but Gort represents an ideal opportunity to provide such services to the many people in the west who need them. People are wasting their time attending University College Hospital, Galway, because they will be put on a trolley.

It is unforgivable that the premises at Gort are inaccessible for people with disabilities. If the Minister of State and his Department can stand over such conditions indefinitely, questions must be asked about how serious the Minister of State and his senior ministerial colleague are about reform of the health service. The building contains one toilet, which is locked at all times except on demand. If a health and safety inspection was carried out on the building, it would be closed and the people of Gort would have to go without its services but that cannot happen.

A site for a day care centre has been offered. Currently, staff provide day care facilities in another premises in the town, which are inadequate and not of the required quality. However, the staff are determined to continue serving the people dependent on them. Promises were made in the past by various Ministers. For example, the Taoiseach visited Gort prior to the last general election. He said the provision of premises would not be a problem and it would be built in a short time because the Government intended to upgrade primary health care services throughout the State. However, nothing has happened.

I contacted the Galway VEC last Monday to ascertain whether the offer stands regarding the premises. The VEC does not sell its premises and this site is available on a long-term lease to the HSE to provide adequate facilities in Gort. The Department has received a request for funding to upgrade the health services and to provide a day care centre at Gort. I hope this will be acted upon as a matter of urgency.

Mr. T. O’Malley

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Government has made services for older people a priority and is fully committed to the development of a comprehensive health service capable of responding quickly, fully and effectively to the health needs of older people. In recent years, health and social services for older people have improved, both in hospitals and in the community. Since coming into office, the Government has substantially increased funding, both capital and revenue, in respect of services for older people. For example, more than €295 million in additional revenue funding has been allocated to these services from 1997 to date. This serves to demonstrate the Government's ongoing commitment to improving services to our older population.

Significant capital funding for the health sector has been provided since the commencement of the national development plan in 2000. Total expenditure for the years 2000-03 was approximately €1.7 billion. Considerable progress has been made in addressing the historical deficits in health infrastructure and improved the standards of facilities required for quality modern patient care. The NDP provides considerable capital funding to services for older people. This will enable a comprehensive infrastructure of community nursing units and day care facilities to be put in place on a national basis as well as the refurbishment of existing extended care facilities and the replacement of old workhouse-type accommodation. Older people deserve first class facilities and we intend to provide such facilities in appropriate locations.

Responsibility for the provision of health services in County Galway rests with the Health Service Executive western area, in the first instance. The HSE western area has advised that agreement was reached, in principle, with the VEC regarding the use of its premises in Gort as a health facility for mental health and community care services. This project, which was initiated by community services due to constraints on their existing facilities, was subject to planning for change of use and also in regard to ownership of the site. With plans under way for the re-orientation of services in east Galway, it is intended that developments in the Gort area will be considered as part of this overall process. No formal application for funding has been submitted to the Department of Health and Children for the provision of a health and day care centre in Gort but the project was included in the Health Service Executive western area's submission for funding under the NDP.

As the Senator will be aware, the Health Act 2004 provided for the Health Service Executive, HSE, which was established on 1 January 2005. Under the Act, the executive is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services.

As part of the HSE's responsibility to prepare and submit an annual service plan for approval, it is obliged to indicate any capital plans proposed by the executive. In this process, the executive can be expected to have regard to the full range of potential capital developments, its own criteria in determining priorities, available resources and any other relevant factors.

The Seanad adjourned at 7.40 p.m. until10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 27 January 2005.