The chief executive of the Rehab group, Mo Flynn has defended the organisation’s decision to announce that it will withdraw services unless it receives more funding from the HSE.
“This is a very difficult period. We profoundly regret that we find ourselves in this position,” she told RTE radio’s Morning Ireland.
The organisation now finds itself in a funding crisis that only the Government can resolve, she said. This is a sector-wide issue.
It was never our intention to use vulnerable people. We are taking this action to save services for people.
Ms Flynn said that Rehab had been talking to the HSE for three years about their funding difficulties without success. She hopes that now that the Minister for Health is involved a resolution can be found.
She pointed out that last July Rehab had warned that this decision (to withdraw services) would be made if funding was not found and they had again informed the HSE in April.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t until the eleventh hour that they engaged with us.”
Ms Flynn said that as an organisation Rehab has changed and is now completely transparent with regard to costs.
“Rehab is a changed organisation since 2014 with a new board and a new management team.
“We operate as a charity and we recognise our responsibility to the public.”
She acknowledged that there is a commercial element to their work, but said that commercial activities were only to provide training opportunities for people with disabilities.