The HSE is continuing to negotiate with St John of God in an effort to encourage the organisation to reverse its decision to stop providing disability and mental health services, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil.
He said the CEO of the HSE Bernard Gloster wrote to the board of St John of God yesterday setting out the funding that is available in order for it to continue to provide the services.
In recent days, St John of God told the HSE that the State would have to take over its services due to a dispute about funding.
The Taoiseach said the HSE was trying to find a way to deal with “legacy deficits” and would remove the need for “unnecessary actions” of St John of God to stop providing the services.
Leo Varadkar said, “what ever happens, the services will be protected”.
He added: “We prefer that we are able to come to an agreement with St John of Gods.”
He said Mr Gloster had asked that St John of God withdraw the notice to quit the service.
He added “this should be about the service users and their families – in a worst-case scenario the HSE can take over the service”.
He was responding to Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae who called for the Government to “knock heads together to allow for continuity of service and care”.
