I would like to draw the attention of the Minister to the distressing situation facing 214 families in the north west. They are in shock this morning having heard the announcement that the Daughters of Wisdom intend to withdraw from the services they provide at Cregg House in Sligo. This religious order has provided services to people with intellectual disabilities for almost 60 years. The Daughters of Wisdom believe that the shortfall of €1.3 million in the funding provided by the HSE makes it impossible for them to continue to provide the services they have provided so well up to now. The staff at the Cregg House centre were informed of this decision late yesterday afternoon after it had been confirmed that talks with the HSE had broken down. I believe the families are being informed today. The manner in which the 214 families and the users of the centre are being treated is a scandal and a reflection of the current state of our health services. It shows the lack of progress that has been made by the Government since it took office. Why has a conscious decision been made to reduce the funding provided to the Daughters of Wisdom, who have done this job so well for the past 60 years?

Some 2,000 people took part in a march in Sligo last month and called for these services to be protected. The Minister of State, Deputy Perry, and Senator O'Keeffe praised the magnificent services that are provided at Cregg House and gave assurances that they would not be cut or withdrawn. We all know there is a need for efficiencies and cost savings in the current environment, but those with intellectual disabilities should not be neglected. I ask the Minister to assure the House that services will continue to be provided at Cregg House and that every effort will be made to ensure those families who benefit from this service and the Daughters of Wisdom, who have provided this service for many years, will be spoken to and these services will be maintained.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which is of concern to many people. I can assure him, on the basis of what I have been told by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, that the service will continue. Negotiations with the Daughters of Wisdom have been taking place since last April. There has been no distinction or discrimination in relation to the allocation of funding for these services. The Department will issue a statement later today. I assure the Deputy and the families who are concerned and affected by this issue that the service will be maintained.

The refusal by a charitable organisation like the Daughters of Wisdom to continue to provide this service because of the €1.3 million shortfall in funding is a reflection of a much wider malaise in the health service. Unfortunately, this problem is also evident in hospitals and in other locations throughout the country where essential services are provided. The civil servants and health service managers who are responsible for administering the cuts - the Government has asked them to do so - have little choice other than to continue to do their best with the limited resources that are being given to them. The Government is handing a certain amount of reduced funding to hospitals and other health service providers throughout the country. It is telling hospital managers, doctors and nurses to like it or lump it and to offer whatever level of service they can from the limited funds that are being provided. The patients are having to lump it, unfortunately.

A question, please.

The patients are not getting the service they require.

What is your question? We are over time.

The Daughters of Wisdom are saying this simply cannot continue because it is not sustainable. I fear that in the next period of time, we will continue to see problems of this nature in public hospitals and public organisations.

Sorry Deputy, we are over time.

The HSE budget for the first quarter of this year is running over to the tune of €145 million.

Thank you, Deputy. Resume your seat, please.

We can see how that might play out.

Would the Minister like to respond?

I ask the Minister to ensure the funding is provided and the service is continued.

Resume your seat, please.

Let him ask his question, will you?

He is over his time.

Let him ask his question.

We need to see real action from this Government to protect the services needed by the most vulnerable people.

Deputy, I asked you to resume your seat. You are over your time. You had a minute in which to ask a supplementary question.

What does the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, find so funny?

I ask people to adhere to the rules of the House. That is all.

We need to make a distinction between the delivery of the service and who is actually delivering the service. The Daughters of Wisdom, for whatever reason, have chosen to-----

They have done that because they are not getting the money they need.

I am not an expert on the detail. The Daughters of Wisdom know that the service will be continued and will be provided.

Where?

It simply will not be provided by them. I remind the House that in other aspects of social life in this country, religious orders have chosen to withdraw from the provision of service for various reasons. This is clearly the case in the education sector, with which I am familiar. On the basis of what I have been told by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, I can assure Deputy McConalogue and the people who depend on these services that the service will continue. The Department will make a statement later today.

Kathleen would want to be a daughter of wisdom herself.