Last week, Minister Michael D’Arcy chaired a meeting aimed at threshing out arrangements to resolve matters pertaining to the finances at St. Aidan’s Service, Gorey, where €328,000 is owed from the HSE, in a bid to safe-guard services and progress into the future.
The meeting included senior executives from the HSE and two representatives from the Board of Management at St. Aidan’s Services.
Minister D’Arcy has confirmed that there is short-term financial stability until the end of February.
In the meantime, a refelection on the structure of St. Aidan’s will take place. “The short-term position is guaranteed, but the medium and long-term situation will be finalised at the end of February,” he said.
It is anticipated that a structure will be agreed by all stakeholders, the management and clients, HSE, HIQA and others, but the Minister stopped short of giving any assurances.
Cllr Malcolm Byrne was happy with Minister D’Arcy’s efforts and felt “it is positive in the short term and gives St. Aidan’s some breathing space.”
He said that despite the shortfall in finances they had not been over spending. “This is money that the HSE owes to St. Aidan’s.”
Cllr Joe Sullivan, who raised the matter twice at the Health Forum, told Wexford Today.com that he doesn’t believe St. Aidan’s will be faced with closure. He believes the matter can be resolved.
Cllr Johnny Mythen pointed out that St. Aidan’s is the biggest employer in North Wexford with 130 staff who are employed under Section 39, which basically means they are grant aided but the HSE, who owes them €328,000.
“I would be very concerned about the use of language- short-term, medium-term and long-term aspects of the negotiations and certainly there is alarm amongst the workers.
Financial problems and possible closure of St. Aidan’s Services in Gorey has already been raised on floor of Dail Éireann by Enniscorthy-based Fianna Fail T.D. James Browne and also by Sinn Fein Party Leader, Mary Lou McDonald, T.D., but the responses from the House were far from encouraging.
As reported here on Wexford Today.com on October 31st, there are major concerns because the HSE has failed to honour a commitment that has left the popular Gorey-based community service out of pocket to the tune of €428,635.83.
That figure has been reduced and now stands at €328,000.