Green Party TD Roderic O’Gorman has criticised the HSE for failing to confirm that it will provide funding to complete the refurbishment of the Blakestown CDNT building in St Joseph’s Hospital in Clonsilla.
The Dublin West TD, who recently visited the facility and met with Avista staff, said that the workers are working in a building that is “completely out of date.”
“The Blakestown CDNT, based in St Joseph’s Hospital in Clonsilla, serves hundreds of children and families in the Dublin 15 area. The staff give such good service, but the building they are working out of is completely out of date.”
“It’s not right that young children and families are forced to receive therapies in such old and run-down buildings”, O’Gorman said.
“I recently visited Avista’s campus at St. Joseph’s Hospital Clonsilla. I saw where work on renovating a building to make it fit for purpose for the Blakestown CDNT team had taken place. However, the funding for this work has been cut off, and Avista, who run the CDNT service, needs additional funding from the HSE to get the refurbishment work completed”.
The Green TD explained that the HSE have asked Avista to carry out a “complicated” new process to secure the funding to finish the renovation, which O’Gorman said “strikes me as such a waste of time.”
“Significant work has already been done, and much money already spent; I have written to the HSE to ask them to provide the final funding. However, in their reply to me, the HSE have not given clarity that the funding will be released”.
The Dublin West TD said he would discuss the issue with the new Minister of State for Disabilities, Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins.
O’Gorman said, “it is vital that the HSE releases the final amount of money to Avista to let them finish this work and ensure that these children can receive their therapies in a building that is fit for purpose.”