I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 136 together.
The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) is a non-statutory organisation that works with people across the country who are experiencing sight loss. It is funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE), under Section 39 of the Health Act, to provide a range of centre, domiciliary and community based services to people who are blind or vision impaired. The NCBI currently runs an office in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin (HSE Community Healthcare Organisation Area 6).
The NCBI will be opening a new purpose-built and fully accessible centre in Tallaght Cross in January 2019. This €800,00 investment has been funded by the NCBI through fundraising income and will see the NCBI provide a greater level of service to people with sight loss across South Dublin and in neighbouring counties. The new Tallaght centre will serve as the NCBI’s centre of excellence on the southside for all its staff and service users.
HSE CHO 6 has been in recent discussions with the NCBI to discuss the future of the NCBI Dun Laoghaire Office. Both parties are in agreement that the NCBI’s service is much valued locally and that every effort should be made to continue with a local service to local people with sight loss. The NCBI Board agreed at its meeting on 28 November 2018 that there will be no cessation of any services currently provided out of Dun Laoghaire. The HSE will continue to review this situation on an ongoing basis with the NCBI.