A LOCAL deputy has said that those who avail of respite services and their families are “the real losers” in the government’s drive for cuts in the health services. Fine Gael’s Kieran O’Donnell TD was speaking in relation to the closure of the Brothers of Charity Respite Service, which will reopen on Friday August 20, but only for as long as funds last.
The deputy has said that representatives from the highest level of the HSE must meet with the charity
“to ensure that the respite service is properly resourced on a sustainable basis and involving the restoration of a full-time service”.
“Whilst the Brothers of Charity have contributed €50,000 to the reopening of the service, this still leaves a shortfall of over €100,000 which has to be made up with parents fundraising.
“Putting these parents in a situation where they have to fundraise to keep this service open into the future is neither fair nor practical”.
He added that, although the government is making cuts in respite across the country, it is only the service in Limerick that has suffered a closure.
Deputy O’Donnell said that he had received correspondence last Friday from Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health John Moloney, which states that a review of funding to the Brothers of Charity is currently underway.
He concluded: “I have been in contact with the HSE requesting that this review be completed by Monday August 23, when a meeting of the parents is scheduled to take place to discuss the respite house service”.
