Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank members for their questions on disability issues. I also thank and commend my colleagues on their support in regard to the issue. Disability is not just a health issue. It is a broader issue for all of us and we should all focus on it. Last Monday, on a visit to the Brothers of Charity Services in Galway, I visited a centre where I met a group of small business owners who a year ago set themselves a target of creating 100 new real jobs for people with disabilities under the EmployAbility project of the Department of Social Protection. On that occasion, I was invited to open an envelope and read out the result of their effort. The result was that they had created 101 new jobs in small businesses across Galway. As I said, disability is an issue that crosses all Departments and every aspect of all of our lives.

Deputy Kate O'Connell asked about expenditure on disability services under this year's social care disability service plan. It is important that everybody would be aware, particularly my colleagues in opposition, that under budget 2017, €1.688 billion will be spent on disability services, which is an increase of 6%. In regard to the Deputy's question on where this money will be spent, the spend will be on 8,400 residential places, 182 respite over-nights, 1.4 million personal assistant hours for 2,400 people, 24,800 day places, 41,000 day respite sessions and 2.75 million home support hours for 7,500 people. These are the key aspects of the plan. Spending on emergency cases in 2017 will be €16.2 million in support of 395 people and 185 emergency residential places. Under the new home support scheme, home respite for emergency cases is being increased to 210. In other words, rather than people going into respite care outside of their homes the respite care will be provided in the home, giving parents and so on a break.

In regard to new directions and school leavers, major progress has been made in respect of 18 year olds and €10 million has been provided to support 1,500 18 year olds in day service supports. There has been major progress in this area in the last 12 months. In a lot of areas, 100% of the issues have been resolved and in others 93% to 97% of the issues have been resolved. In terms of the move from congregated settings, €100 million in capital funding has been provided for the next five years, which equates to €20 million per annum. This means that this year, 223 people will be moved to community living and 50 additional homes will be purchased. That is how money allocated to the disabilities area is being spent. We need to ensure that it is spent wisely. I have a vision and a plan for this area. There is also a strategy in place for the disabilities area. We need to ensure the focus is on the person with the disability.

Deputy O'Connell also asked about the "Grace" case. The Government is committed to the establishment of a commission of inquiry. There will be no fudge on this issue. I was annoyed by some of the commentary of Members of the Oireachtas and others in the media on this issue. That commentary is wrong. We are all committed to Grace and any other victim of alleged sexual abuse. I intend to get the truth, justice and action. Some actions have already commenced even though the commission of inquiry has not yet commenced. The Conal Devine report and Resilience Ireland report addressed this issue. These reports were then examined by Mr. Conor Dignam, who then drafted the terms of reference for the inquiry. I recently cleared those terms of reference with the HSE. The HSE intends to publish the Resilience Ireland report and Conal Devine report next Tuesday. The terms of reference for the inquiry is currently being examined by the Attorney General's office. As I said, there will be no fudging on this issue. In the meantime, a number of schemes are in place around safeguarding vulnerable adults in institutions. We also have a national policy on safeguarding vulnerable persons at risk of abuse, a top-class safeguarding committee chaired by Professor Patricia Rickard-Clarke and a confidential recipient, Leigh Gath. There is a lot of working going on in regard to the protection of people with disabilities.

Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony raised the two very important issues of delays in assessments and the lack of therapies. I share the Deputy's concerns. There has been a major reconfiguration of HSE disabilities services over the last number of years. So far, €8 million in funding has been made available to support 200 additional posts. Prior to Christmas, an additional €4 million was provided to support the filling of the 75 vacant therapy posts. There are some gaps in the system and some problems around recruitment of staff in particular areas, including Dublin. I acknowledge that, as identified by the Deputy, there are gaps in Cork, Waterford and Offaly. We need to do more. I am working closely with the HSE and the Department to ensure that full implementation of progressing disability services takes place by the end of 2017.

On the UN convention, this issue has moved on a stage as well. The Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 was brought to Cabinet before Christmas and Second Stage of the Bill commenced just after Christmas. I had expected the Second Stage debate to conclude last week but because of other events of which Members will be aware, there were changes to the Dáil schedule. That debate is scheduled to take place later tonight such that I hope the Bill can progress to the next Stage. We are determined to ratify the UN convention but we want to do it properly. We are way ahead of some of the other countries that have already ratified it in that we already have in place a lot of the services which they propose to put in place. As I said, we will ratify the convention because it is important that we do so. The delay in this regard is related in part to the issues which arose around the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and issues around deprivation of liberty. I appeal to colleagues to work with me to ensure conclusion of the Second Stage debate on the Bill tonight such that we can progress it through Committee Stage and enacted as soon as possible. Much of what happens in regard to ratification of the convention is dependent on members. As Minister of State, I am determined to ensure that we ratify it.

I would like to clarify a point I made earlier regarding the terms of reference for the inquiry. I have cleared the terms of reference with the Department of Health, not the HSE. I hope I have responded to all of the questions relevant to my remit.