Disability groups approved for millions in funding left waiting more than a year
The Children's Disability Service grant was launched in October 2023 and again in June 2024, and was to be used to fund projects helping children with special needs.
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Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty told the Dáil in March that the funding had not yet been released to the disability groups in Donegal.
Days later, it was confirmed by the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley that she had 'secured sanction' for eight million euros to fund the projects that met the criteria.
However, Mr Doherty told the Dáil on Thursday that the funding is still outstanding.
He said that his constituent Denise McGahern, who was at the launch of the grant with her son, feels betrayed.
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Her nine-year-old son Jack Donaghey has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.
'Denise went public to express her disgust and anger she felt that her son was used at a prop in an election government photo op and back in March, you apologised,' Mr Doherty told Tanaiste Simon Harris.
'You apologised that the situation went on for so long. You said that you would not defend something that was indefensible. You said, in regards to the funding, and I quote, 'I am going to make sure it is released. I am going to make sure it is provided'.
'Five days after the exchange between me and you in the Dail, the government again announced the funding would be released.
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'Yet despite your promises, here we are three months on and still no funding being released, still not provided, still the therapies are not available on the ground.'
'The 54 organisations that thought they had successfully applied for the grant haven't received a single red cent. Now, not only that, it gets worse because these organisations, some of them were publicly announced.
'Some of them were announced that they would get millions of euros over a three-year project. They have been told that they have to reapply for shortlisting, that the funding is no longer multi-annual, that it all needs to be spent by the end of the year.'
He said that the groups have until the end of the year to spend money they have not yet received.
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Mr Doherty said the Government has announced the funding on three separate occasions but that none of it has been given to the disability projects.
'It's kids here, kids with special needs, kids like Jack with cerebral palsy, kids who are in braces, kids who are trying to speak, kids who are PEG-fed, kids who want to walk, who are actually suffering as a result of this here,' he added.
'These children and their parents are left crying out for help. And it's cruel.'
Mr Harris said the Government has allocated the eight million euros in funding, adding that there may be final compliance checks.
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He said he will organise a meeting with the HSE in the coming days.
Tánaiste Simon Harris said he would set up a meeting with HSE (Liam McBurney/PA)
'I've been asking about this on a pretty regular basis, because these are important projects, and indeed, I had an opportunity to speak to the head of the HSE, Bernard Gloster on it only this week, as part of our kind of ongoing regular engagements.'I understood, in relation specifically to the Donegal group, that they're in very regular contact.
'I'm also told that they (the groups) have been assured that their costs will be funded.
'From a government point of view, we've allocated the 8 million. I take the point, and I did apologise for it, around the delay.
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'We have now sanctioned the funding. And certainly, while I can fully understand there might be final compliance checks or governance checks, I don't say this rudely to the groups, we do want to see the money.
'Because of the importance of the issue, I'll ask that we have a meeting. I accept there are more projects in Donegal but we'll have maybe a meeting of Donegal Oireachtas members.
'I'll ask that that's arranged with the relevant minister or HSE next week to try and bring a finality to this situation.'
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