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

Chairman, may I respond to a question on disability raised by Deputy Durkan?

We have prioritised a lot of the issues that he raised, in particular emergency residential respite day services in the next nine to ten months. These service are very important key dimensions to disability services. It is all very well to go along and talk about the rights of people with disabilities but we need to have the services for them. That is my focus at all times.

Other issues, such as what happens when people with disabilities are school leavers, safeguarding adults were touched on by Mr. O'Brien. We have a very good service with a confidential recipient who is very good at working with the families of those with a disabilities. People who are concerned about vulnerable adults, and such cases, can contact that service, so that we have that in line as well.

The other direction we are taking is to have therapy posts, we have an issue with the number of posts.

The final issue is the new rehabilitation strategy, and we are looking at the idea of exploring a pilot day service. These are all important issues in respect of disability services, but let me emphasise the service have to be reformed, we have to invest in them but also we have to design the services around the person.