I want to raise with the Tánaiste the very sad news that we got this week about the closure of the Irish Wheelchair Association centre in Cavan. When I say “closure”, it has not closed its doors but has had to end its in-person service for the 40 service users who very much depend on that service. It had a minimum of staff to begin with. It had only two part-time and one full-time, and with that staff and the support of CE staff, it has been providing an incredible service to over 40 service users.

I have spoken with the staff and this is about pay parity, recruitment, and retention. I know it is a very difficult problem to address but the reality for the parents and those who have loved ones using the service is that they no longer have that in-person service. For example, families are now dependent on whatever resources are in place to perhaps go out and visit them in the community, like they did before. I ask the Tánaiste and the Minister with responsibility for disability to intervene to help get the service up and running again

I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, to engage with the Irish Wheelchair Association, IWA. I am not fully au fait with the background to this. There was a settlement in respect of the section 39 workers. An agreement was reached last October, which resulted in an 8% increase in pay to be delivered in three phases. There might be other background decisions, but it is a regrettable closure of an important service to quite a number of people who used the in-person service. I will follow this up.