Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the House for allowing me the opportunity to raise this issue. The Crann project in Ballincollig in County Cork is a fantastic innovation that has been developed over the last number of years. The board of directors and the team there have developed fantastic facilities for people with disabilities, therapeutic facilities for rehabilitation and indeed play therapy. They are also providing innovative training centres for different challenges that people with disabilities have, whether they are disabilities that are acquired or those that are there from birth. They have developed this facility. Padraig Mallon heads up the team there. He is a fantastic innovator and an extremely capable guy. The foundation of it was due to Kate Jarvey who is a philanthropist and has done great work in providing the centre with the resources to get it up and running.

It has been up and running and, of course, the services have been provided. In essence, the services, which should be provided by the State, are being provided there on behalf of the State. Regarding the core funding, there has been very innovative meetings between the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and other politicians as well. They have been in awe at what has been delivered and developed at the Crann Centre in Ballincollig.

I have to raise the issue about core funding because essentially if this centre does not get €1.2 million in annual core funding to deliver the services it is providing, it will not be able to operate because it will go into a deficit situation. The centre is raising money, looking at fundraising and is reaching into other pots of money that are available to it. That should not be the case because it is the State's services the centre is providing. It has continence training and is one of the only places outside of Dublin that is doing this. This is for SNAs or people who are working in all types of settings in the State. The issue here is that core funding has been agreed to a certain level but the unmistakable fact is that there is €1.2 million needed in core funding annually to ensure the Crann Centre can operate and can provide the services it is currently providing. If there is any dilution of that, there will be tapering back of the service the centre is providing. The playground there is second to none for kids and young people with disabilities. The centre developed that itself. The staff have developed things in very innovative ways. They think outside the box. They look at the challenges there. If we were depending on the State to have these innovative services, it would not be happening.

We are almost on the brink of the second half of 2024 and we are still negotiating for the budget for 2024. The year 2024 starts on 1 January not on 1 July and it is reprehensible that the HSE does not have the budget ironed out at this stage. The fundamental point is that the basic funding that is needed to run the Crann Centre and to provide the services it is providing currently is €1.2 million and that is what I asking the HSE and the Minister of State about today.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Again, I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this really important Topical Issue for discussion. The Crann Centre was established in 2014 and is a registered charity based in Ovens, County Cork. It supports children, adults and families living with a neuro-physical disability. It commenced service provision in 2019 and supports people with spina bifida, hydrocephalus, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, childhood stroke or spinal cord injury.

Crann’s services enable better health and well-being for adults and children with neuro-physical disabilities, and their families, empowering them to participate in work, education or social activities in their community and leading to an improved quality of life. Crann provides tangible and much-needed services to its clients, helping them to overcome challenges relating to physical and psychological health, and social capital, but it also creates significant value through its person-centred approach and a staff who truly care about their clients and take time out of their working day to engage with, and support them, even outside of a service appointment. That was well articulated by Deputy Moynihan as well.

Following on from the visit by the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to the centre in June 2023, a business case by the organisation was submitted in relation to the funding for its service for 2024 and 2025, which Cork Kerry Community Healthcare submitted to the national disability office for consideration in the 2024 Estimates process. In the 2024 budget allocation to the HSE, as outlined in the 2024 HSE service plan, a total of €3 million was ring-fenced for eight voluntary organisations considered for targeted provision of services for children, based on various business case submissions. The Crann Centre was included in this budget allocation and received €400,000 in 2024. In addition to the recurring €400,000, the Crann Centre also received €170,000 towards its continence clinic bringing the total funds for 2024 to €570,000.

I thank the Deputy for joining the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and her officials at a meeting with management from the Crann Centre this week. This meeting discussed the supports necessary to sustain the valuable work of the Crann Centre into the future. The Minister of State will ensure her officials and HSE officials engage with the Crann Centre ahead of the 2025 Estimates process. Currently, we are awaiting a decision on the allocation of the strengthening children’s disability services grant scheme for 2024 for the Crann Centre, which may see additional funding allocated to the service. Going forward, the Department is committed to continuing to work with the Crann Centre to help it continue to provide the essential and valuable supports it provides to the community.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Yes, I did attend the meeting. In the first instance, I commend what the section 39 or charitable organisations are doing throughout the country in providing services on behalf of the State. This is one of the charity organisations that is providing services which are not being provided by the State but should be provided by the State. The State is failing to ensure that money is provided up-front for these vital services.

Many families and people with acquired injuries are using the Crann Centre in Ballincollig. They are in awe of what has been achieved there and how the team there is working to try to make sure that the lives of people with disabilities are better. As public representatives, we should always acknowledge the work that is being done by the section 39 organisations and their teams which are led by very good innovative people who are looking at new ways of providing services. They see the shortcomings in the services that are being provided by the State. We had a meeting this week on it.

I wish to make two points in my closing remarks. Ongoing funding of nothing less than €1.2 million is needed to ensure that the Crann Centre can continue the rehabilitation services it is providing, not just for County Cork, but for the wider Munster region. Some families are driving two and a half or three hours to the Crann Centre for maybe an hour's play therapy. It is important that we acknowledge that. When will the children's disability service grants for 2024 be announced? They are for 2024. This weekend we are moving into the second half of 2024. I ask the Minister of State to take that back. We need those grants to be announced as a matter of urgency because that money is vitally needed not just for the Crann Centre but for centres which are providing services for children with disabilities throughout the State.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I agree wholeheartedly with the Deputy on the section 39 providers right across the country. They provide invaluable services which are not always met by the State but the State supports them to do that. They are really valuable partners to the State on that. I reiterate the commitment of the Department and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to working with the Crann Centre to continue to aid it in providing valuable support to the community, families and children. I think her commitment was given at the meeting with Crann Centre this week. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has been a really wonderful Minister of State with responsibility for disability. She is very proactive and she will use all efforts at her disposal to try to help in whatever way she can.

I will not anticipate the budgetary process but the request has been made and it is noted. I think the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, will bring that as part of the package of what she is looking for through the budgetary process. The funding in 2024 has been substantial, with €570,000 from the HSE and I think €400,000 of that is recurring funding so it is not insignificant. I appreciate that running centres that provide such a complex range of services for people makes their overheads and the costs incurred all the more challenging on a yearly basis. I will take the Deputy's comments back to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. We await the ongoing process from the budget.