Nuns fear for future of support service

THE FUTURE of more than 200 people with intellectual disabilities, who are cared for by nuns and live in accommodation provided by the Daughters of Wisdom in Sligo, was uncertain last night after the nuns said they could no longer stand over the service because of budget cuts.

The provincial, Sr Jean Quinn, has written to families warning that alternative trustee arrangements may now have to be made for the care and support of users of Wisdom Services, also known as Cregg House. The order opened Cregg House as a residential facility for people with intellectual disabilities in 1955.

Describing it as “the blackest day” in the order’s history in Ireland, the provincial said the sisters were pulling out because despite a series of meetings with the Health Service Executive (HSE), no agreement had been reached on funding, and a €900,000 cut in this year’s budget would have implications for the safety of both service users and staff.

“We could not stand over that,” she pointed out.

The provincial insisted the threat to withdraw was “not brinkmanship”.

Management at Cregg House said the budget, which is understood to be €15.5 million, had been cut by €2.5 million over the past four years, while the number of whole-time equivalent staff had been cut by 40 to 296 since 2008.

The facilities include residential accommodation, including 21 houses in and around Sligo town, outreach services, day services, respite care and a special school.

The provincial said the withdrawal of the psychology service last year “beggared belief” as it left more than 200 people, many with serious challenges such as dementia and autism, with no psychologist.

Describing the cuts as “draconian”, Sr Quinn urged local people to lobby the Minister for Health, saying the cuts would have an impact on the most vulnerable people in society, many with severe intellectual disabilities who regarded Cregg House as home.

In the letter to families last Monday, the nuns promised to work with the HSE to ensure service users would continue to receive the care and support they require. The letter warned some of the residential accommodation at Cregg House was “not fit for purpose”.

Expressing frustration at the lack of progress after a series of meetings with the HSE, Sr Quinn added: “Look at how the banks could be bailed out. Here you have the most vulnerable people in society and we cannot provide €1 million.”

In a statement, the HSE said the budget reduction for 2012 was “consistent with other disability service providers in the region”.

Local Fine Gael TD and Minister of State John Perry said it was “critically important” the services remained.

MEP Marian Harkin called on the HSE to meet the service providers half way.