Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2012
616 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to secure services for persons with an intellectual disability at a location (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21328/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra622 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health if he will confirm that he will not cut services for persons with a disability at Cregg House, Sligo. [21444/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra656 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene to ensure the future viability of Cregg House Wisdom Services, a school-residential care service for the intellectually disabled with hundreds of residents in Sligo following further serious cuts to its budget by the Health Service Executive. [21849/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 616, 622 and 656 together.
Wisdom Services is a voluntary body operated by the Daughters of Wisdom and provides services for people with a disability in the North Western Region. It supports over 200 service users with 111 on campus, 75 in the community and 20 day attendees. The HSE contracts for services with Wisdom Services through a service agreement on an annual basis. Service Agreements are used with a range of providers across many services as the means by which the state contracts for services with voluntary or non statutory providers. Wisdom Services is not a limited company so the order has a liability for any deficits.
Under the HSE National Service Plan 2012, the disability budget nationally is being reduced by 3.7% in 2012. The NSP states that at least 2% of this should not impact on services and needs to be generated from other savings and increased efficiencies. I am aware that Wisdom Services is experiencing financial difficulties and has estimated that it will have a significant budget deficit in 2012, even before cost containment measures take effect. The HSE has been working with Wisdom Services for some time to try and reduce the deficit which has been building up since 2010. Although Wisdom Services has a cost containment plan for 2012, and has had some success, it still faces significant challenges to address the deficit.
I share the HSE's disappointment that a service level agreement to continue the current service has not been agreed at this point for the provision of services in 2012. The reduction in the budget for 2012 is consistent with other disability service providers in the region. While the HSE appreciates the difficulties for Wisdom Services, it is not possible for additional funding to be allocated to address the deficit in Cregg House. In this context, the Department of Health is reassured that the HSE and Wisdom Services are working together to ensure that all service users will continue to receive the care and support they require, and that discussions are ongoing in this regard. These discussions are also considering the most appropriate arrangements and funding for the various services delivered by Wisdom Services.
