I want to raise the issue of Erkina House, Rathdowney, which is a long established and excellent HSE facility that comes under the mental health services. By definition, the residents are vulnerable people and are entitled to peace of mind and not to be upset by the HSE in their works. Three years ago, we raised this in the House, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was with us and was personally involved in the situation where the HSE announced it was going to close Erkina House three years ago. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was directly involved and that did not proceed. There were 12 residents in Erkina House at that stage and the HSE, after that, announced the closure of this facility but subsequently publicly apologised to residents and their families for the unnecessary upset caused to them. All I can say is here we go again with the HSE. Now it says there will be no new admissions to Erkina House. This is closure by stealth. Three years ago, the HSE guaranteed that no residents would be moved out without their and their families' consent. Very recently, I have had a family in contact with me, saying they were against their family member being moved out. If it is now happening, it can only be because the HSE has bullied them to accept the HSE's proposal. I understand there are two or three residents in Erkina House at this stage. This fits into the HSE agenda of closing Erkina House by stealth, which it has been working to do. The care provided by staff in Erkina House is superb. The care and attention and, if I am allowed to say it, the affection they have shown for the residents is exemplary. I sincerely hope the staff will be fully respected by the HSE and whatever arrangements it comes to will be outlined in detail to them. A key priority is also that the staff will be dealt with fairly. I fully understand that Erkina House is an old building and does not meet the current health and safety standards which the residents and staff are entitled to. This is because the HSE has failed to invest and bring this facility up to a standard over the years. There also is an acute shortage of respite beds in County Laois and many Laois people who have had surgery in hospitals locally and require short-term respite are regularly told to go to another county as the HSE does not have adequate respite facilities in County Laois. The HSE should invest in its own respite facility rather than paying a fortune of taxpayers' hard-earned money to private nursing homes. As everyone is aware, two private nursing homes in Laois are already under investigation and monitoring in relation to various matters and as a result, we are short on respite beds in County Laois. Erkina House would be an excellent respite facility for the area, as well as continuing the services it currently provides. I also suggested it as a suitable location for the health centre in the town, as the existing facility is recognised by all and the HSE as not being fit to meet the modern-day standards for facilities. The HSE is turning its back on Rathdowney and south County Laois. Its two facilities in Rathdowney, Erkina House and the health centre, have been starved of funds and investment, and this is resulting in a poorer health service at the expense of the people in Rathdowney and surrounding areas. This must stop now. We need investment in these facilities, not closures.

Sentiment score: 0.06

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I understand and appreciate what she is saying, but, obviously, I have a number of questions. As already stated, the Minister of State was involved in an issue relating to Erkina House a number of years ago and was very positive and helpful on that occasion. The Minister of State indicated that a significant level of investment would be required to develop Erkina House in order to achieve the additional regulatory standards required. We all agree on that. Everybody in Ireland agrees. Everybody in Rathdowney agrees. The reason that is required is because the place was starved of investment in recent years. Those responsible deliberately made sure that nothing was done in an organised manner when there were up to 12 residents on the premises. They chose to close it by stealth. That is the word I would use. If the facility has been starved of investment, it will not meet the new requirements necessary for the health and safety and the mental health of the people there. We have a great asset in Rathdowney. I have been told that the Minister of State has been looking at getting a new health centre in a different location. Very recently, I have had it in writing from the HSE that the Minister of State will not proceed on that basis because it is too expensive and that she will look at the property owned by the HSE in the town. I ask that there be an extension to the existing health centre at its current location or that it be combined with Erkina House in order that, like many other HSE buildings, it will have a dual use. I ask for that to be considered, if appropriate. We are short of respite places. This facility could be suitable in that regard. There are two nursing homes that have been in the national media and before the courts in recent months. As a result of that, the HSE is currently not using them. People looking for respite have to travel a very long distance outside the county to get that. People should be able to get respite within their own county. We have the property in Rathdowney. Of course it needs investment, but it could be a multi-use facility. I ask the HSE not to turn its back on Rathdowney, as it seems to be doing in the context of both Erkina House and the health centre.

Sentiment score: 0.13