Louth TD reveals ‘cliff-edge’ situation between St John of God Community Services and the HSE

A ‘cliff-edge’ has been reached in the crisis between disability services provider, St John of God (SJOG) Community Services and the HSE, that threatens services for 8,000 children and adults.

Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú revealed the situation following contact with SJOG earlier last week and used an opportunity at the Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters to ask the HSE what was going to be done before the January 25 deadline set by St John of God Community Services.

He said the crisis is looming with the provider telling the HSE that if a funding commitment is not made before this Thursday, the board of SJOG will “recommend commencing the process of transfer of responsibility for service provision to the HS”.

The HSE says there will be a solution to the issue, but have not revealed what that will be.

In September 2020, the board of St John of God Community Services served a year’s notice of termination of its service agreement with the HSE, because of a funding crisis and an accumulated deficit of €32 million.

A Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) was carried out and the process finished in October last year, with the termination notice suspended.

But SJOG said last week that no agreement has been reached on the SIA’s implementation and it is this issue that has brought the crisis to the fore again.

Deputy Ó Murchú said: “It’s a repeat of the past – we have managed to avert a previous disaster situation only to have it replayed again much to the distress of the service users, their families and the 3,000 staff who work in SJOG Community Services.”

At the Disability Committee last Wednesday evening, the Dundalk TD highlighted the issue to Bernard O’Regan, the HSE’s head of disability services and asked what was going to be done to avert the crisis.

Mr O’Regan said “substantial additional funding” to SJOG Community Services, including €11.5 million a year, additional to the budget that was provided to them.

He said there is ongoing and consistent engagement with SJOG and other organisations on the issue of their “ongoing budgetary position with a view to ensuring that they always have access to the funding they need in order to meet their liabilities”.

Mr O’Regan said he was conscious of the difficulties the current situation is having on families and staff at SJOG but a “sustainable structure” was needed.

He assured the Sinn Féin TD that there would be a solution but added: “I don’t know what the solution will be, but there will be a solution”.

Deputy Ó Murchú also said he had brought the matter to the attention of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State Anne Rabbitte.