Mattie McGrath warned of a funding crisis at the V-Valley Daycare Centre in Clovene, saying the service must be protected and enhanced. He criticised the refusal of Section 39 funding and rejected the minister's suggestion that clients' voluntary contributions and fundraising could fill the gap.
Funding shortfall at V-Valley Daycare
The V-Valley Daycare Centre, run by Michelle Sweeney with a voluntary board chaired by PJ English, faces a shortfall after CE staff finished and the centre was unable to hire replacement staff from HSE funding. The centre sought additional Section 39 funding but that request was refused.
Minister's response and suggested remedies
When Mattie McGrath raised the matter the minister replied that the committee should look for voluntary contributions from clients, donations and fundraising, a proposal McGrath said is impossible given current financial pressures. The minister said allocations would be made shortly to help day centres.
Recent engagement and local impact
HSE and Social Welfare officials have visited the centre to assess the situation, and McGrath praised the service, calling the staff and patrons "wonderful" and noting how much users look forward to the return of services after Covid. He warned many other day care centres may be in a similar position.
Wider staffing pressures and allocations
The debate highlighted that CE participants are becoming harder to recruit and some are retiring, and the minister said one unintended consequence of full employment is fewer people available for CE schemes. The minister reported an allocation of 5.2 million euro to nine CHOs - 3.5 million for day centres and 1.7 million for meals on wheels - and said funding will be distributed shortly, and that he had been speaking to a colleague in relation to the CEPs.
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The V-Valley Daycare Centre in Clovene, County, February is facing a funding crisis with CE staff finishing and their inability to hire staff from the HSE funding. The centre ran by Michelle Sweeney and a voluntary board, PJ English as a chairman. They sought additional funding, Section 39 funding, which was refused. When I put the question to the minister, the reply came back that the committee should look for voluntary contributions of the clients and donations and fundraising. That is impossible in these times. You know that they have done lots of that in the past, but everybody is strapped for cash and it is very necessary. I do welcome the engagement of the HSE recently and Social Welfare to have visited and see what is going on. An excellent service, wonderful staff and wonderful patrons and they look forward to it so much and love it, back after Covid. There are many other day care centres probably in the same position. It is becoming ever more difficult to get CE participants and these now are retiring. So we need the service to be protected and enhanced because it is so important to these service users and to the community. Thank you. Mr Minister. Thank you. I have a question. Was it Clawheen you said? Yes. Yes. So we have 330 day care centres open all over the country and I was actually in one during the week in Feathered. I visited with Councillor Imelda Goldsborough. What you are saying in relation to day centres being challenged because of the lack of CE workers. We are hearing that everywhere. It is one of the unintended consequences of having full employment at the moment. There are not as many people available for those schemes. But just to let you know, I did allocate 5.2 million euro in the last few weeks to the nine CHOs, 3.5 million for day centres and 1.7 million for meals on wheels. So there will be an allocation going out to all the day centres very, very shortly. A small allocation to help them over this. But I have been speaking to Minister Humphries in relation to the CEPs.
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