The HSE has confirmed that respite services at Seaview House on the Mountcharles road in Donegal have resumed on a phased basis this week.
In a statement to Ocean FM today, the HSE says staff shortages due to illness, leave and retirement forced them to scale back the service in the last few months.
The HSE has apologised for having to make these cuts and the impact and distress that has caused to families.
It comes ahead of a protest getting underway in Ballyshannon around now by parents of children who use Seaview.
The HSE says the recruitment of staff has started this week in an effort to fill the vacancies on a full-time basis and it remains committed to keeping the service open on a full-time basis.
Full statement from HSE 30th May 2017:
The HSE wishes to apologise for the curtailment of respite services at Seaview House over the last few months, which has occurred as a result of staff shortages due to illness leave and retirement. We are continuing to work with our colleagues in the National Recruitment Service to try to recruit and replace staff in as timely a manner as possible. We acknowledge the upset and distress that this situation has caused to our clients and families, and we apologise unreservedly for this.
The HSE wish to confirm that recruitment of staff has commenced and as of Monday 29th May respite services have resumed on a phased basis. We are very aware of the importance of this service for families in South Donegal and of the difficulties that this situation has caused for everyone involved. As such, we remain committed to ensuring that the respite service resumes on a full time basis as soon as all the staffing vacancies are filled.
Ends
