Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tá a fhios agam. I am just saying it is not black and white and it is not just about meeting a target. I do not disagree with what Deputy Barry said. It is a priority for the committee. It certainly is for myself and my party colleagues. We want the process to move forward at pace, in conjunction and co-operation with the people themselves, who are most important, and their families, keeping their needs in mind.

The national implementation framework and the strategy set out are noble and important. I note in her opening statement, Ms Timmons stated “From a strategic perspective, one of the most significant achievements of the strategy is the establishment of the housing and disability steering groups, HDSGs, in each local authority area”. Is there a sense as to how they are working? I am not expecting the Department to hold their hands. However, as they are new, are they being monitored? Is there any oversight?

The housing crisis, both in the public and private housing sectors, is even more acute for people with disabilities. It is more complex, the waiting times are longer and wrap-around services are needed. I have had several cases of young adults and people of my age in their 40s with severe physical disabilities with their elderly parents still caring for them at home. They have no prospect at this stage of any residential assisted living. In community healthcare organisation, CHO, area 9, it took 12 weeks to get an answer by way of parliamentary question as to what the disabilities budget was and then to filter that down to the families in question. It was said the number of people with disabilities on the waiting list is at more than 4,000, but it has been reduced. Are we capturing everybody? The reality on the ground is that parents in these circumstances, nearly 80 years of age, have been engaging with the HSE, the local authority and groups like Praxis Care, as well as having me writing back and forth, but they have been getting nowhere. It is such a sensitive and distressing issue for people, particularly as their ages are advancing and they are wondering what will happen to their kids.

One of the answers we were given at a meeting was that if a solution was not in place and if something happened to one of the parents, then the young adult would have to go to Beaumont Hospital. That is not acceptable. However, that is the reality for many people. I have a case of a 44 year old woman who spent eight years living in a nursing home in north Dublin who has to get a taxi to work. That is the reality of providing housing for people with disabilities in all different types of the spectrum.

While the strategy is good, I am trying to get a handle on the transparency within it. Why can we not be told the allocation in our CHO areas for providing housing for people with disabilities? I agree with Senator Murnane O’Connor that a distinction can be made between both physical and severe mental disabilities when they should not be. In many instances, it is the wrap-around services that are letting the process down. Some cases are complex. Has the Department a view on average waiting times for people with disabilities versus people who are able bodied? From my experience, it is much longer.

We discussed the housing adaptation grants last year when the witnesses were before the committee. It was stated the grants process is being streamlined. When will this be in place? Last year we discussed the number of people in residential care or in hospital waiting for adaptations to be carried out to their houses. I find various local authorities deal with these matters differently. It is a useful tool to adapt family homes to people’s needs. However, Mr. Aidan O’Reilly spoke about no backlog in the Department. I find from dealing with local authorities that the processing time takes longer as the year goes on. I am interested to hear what it will mean in real terms for people.