State faces class action on child homecare

The Government is facing a class action in Brussels over the lack of a national paediatric homecare budget after a “rude” and “gruff” health minister was accused of refusing to engage on the subject with a renowned children’s campaigner.

Jonathan Irwin, founder of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, last night posted on Twitter: “Pointless meeting with Min Reilly last evening. Late rude gruff 12mins incl deafening Divisional bell then left to vote never to be seen again.”

When contacted, Mr Irwin explained that, two weeks ago his wife, Senator Mary Ann O’Brien, put down a motion in the Seanad “to ask why Ireland was almost unique in Europe that there is no national paediatric homecare nursing budget”.

Mr Irwin said that, as a result, a meeting was arranged for Tuesday with Health Minister James Reilly for Mr Irwin, his wife, and a Jack and Jill senior nurse.

They pointed out that a Jack and Jill baby costs €16,500 per year to care for but because of a lack of homecare budget, the HSE paid €147,000 per year to keep a baby in hospital.

Mr Irwin said the 300 babies they look after are aged 0-4 years, after which the Government is meant to take over their care.

“Out of those babies who reach four, a third would be so fragile that they would have to go into hospital, where they cost a fortune.”

He said they suggested that, for a trial period of 12 months, the foundation would continue its hours for babies to the age of six. They said the scheme could be externally monitored to show it could save “€1m, €2m, or more” for the State.

“At the moment, they give us €500,000 per year. I have to raise €3m [through donations] per year. To look after the children for another two years, I would need €4m per year. We were asking them to up their investment by another €500,000 to bring it to €1m a year.”

However, he said they had no success with Dr Reilly.

“He said he was between a rock and a hard place and the troika. He never for one moment debated or asked us. He said they could provide carers… Then he had to go and vote and we were left with three civil servants and we got nowhere. We thought he was going to come back.”

Mr Irwin said his wife will now put a motion down again and “we have set the ball in motion to take a class action against the Government until such time as they agree to put in a national paediatric homecare budget”.

Dr Reilly’s office was unable to provide a comment last night.