O’Gorman criticizes HSE failure to confirm funding to refurbish CDNT building in Clonsilla

I’m frustrated that the HSE has failed to confirm that it will provide funding to complete the refurbishment of the Blakestown CDNT building in St Joseph’s Hospital in Clonsilla. I recently visited the facility and met with Avista staff.

The Blakestown CDNT, based in St Joseph’s Hospital in Clonsilla, serves hundreds of children and families in the Dublin 15 area. The staff give such good service, but the building they are working out of is completely out of date. It’s not right that young children and families are forced to receive therapies in such old and run down buildings.

When I visited Avista’s campus at St. Joseph’s Hospital Clonsilla, I saw where work on renovating a building to make it fit for purpose for the Blakestown CDNT team had taken place. However, the funding for this work has been cut off, and Avista, who run the CDNT service, needs additional funding from the HSE to get the refurbishment work complete.

The HSE have asked Avista to carrying out a complicated new process to secure the funding to finish the renovation. This strikes me as such a waste of time. Significant work has already been done, and much money already spent. I have written to the HSE to ask them to provide the final funding. However, in their reply to me, the HSE have not given clarity that the funding will be released.

I will be contacting the new Minister for State for Disabilities, Emer Higgins, on this issue. It is vital that the HSE releases the final amount of money to Avista to let them finish this work and ensure that these children can receive their therapies in a building that is fit for purpose.