Donegal Senator Pádraig MacLochlainn has put pressure on the Minister of State for Disability Issues to ensure two Donegal organisations are provided with fixed annual funding from the HSE this year.
The importance of iCARE in Inishowen and Bluestack Special Needs Foundation in Donegal Town was raised in a Seanad debate yesterday.
Senator MacLochlainn reminded Minister Finian McGrath that neither group received Ability funding last year. Both organisations were on the verge of collapse before they received intervention funding, he said.
Senator MacLochlainn said: “As we are now into 2019, we need confirmation, and I hope the Minister of State will provide it today, that there will be a service level agreement between both organisations and the HSE and fixed annual funding will be provided in order that they will know where they stand and that the families will know that they have a service and will not have to cope, from year to year, faced with massive demands of fundraising.
“Both organisations have achieved a great deal. They have great support in the community but, frankly, they have been taken for granted for far too long.
“If funding is not confirmed by the Minister of State today, urgent intervention is needed to secure that funding as soon as possible.”
Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath acknowledged both non-profit groups and said that funding has yet to be allocated for the year.
Minister McGrath replied: “I understand that both organisations have submitted funding applications to the HSE for 2019 and I can appreciate they are anxious to learn the outcome.
“The HSE’s national service planning process for 2019 has now been agreed and budgets are currently being assigned to each community healthcare organisation, CHO.
“Once CHO area 1 receives its allocation, it will be in a position to consider the funding arrangements for individual services and organisations, and this will include those raised by the Senator.”
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