Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for that question. On decongregation, there were 144 persons assisted to be decongregated in 2021, 143 are planned for 2022 and there were 126 in 2020. That is the pathway in relation to decongregation.

When we talk about decongregating, we are always looking at the challenges within it. These are not only the properties but the moving of people who in some cases have complex needs. I refer to the transitional piece of coming from their current home and going to their new home and the need for extra staff to allow that transitional care piece to take place. For example, St. Patrick's in Kilkenny did it very well and very successfully with the support of the HSE when the pandemic was at its highest. Housing is a significant issue in that regard. There is steady progress all the time. I would like to be more ambitious. Under the disability capacity review, our action plan and our framework, perhaps we will see a more accelerated pointed approach to achieving what is expected of us because we have to acknowledge that we have people living in settings that are not suitable.

The Deputy's next question was on respite. It is something I talk about constantly. It is one of the core pieces within the programme for Government and my Ministry. The HSE and the Department are supported in recognising that. I have to recognise the Ministers, Deputies McGrath and Donohoe, for funding me for the simple reason that I need to create capacity. The Deputy is correct. We have different levels where creating capacity is needed.

The Deputy has spoken specifically to the layer relating to autism where we have behavioural challenges. In fact, due to other sensory needs, such as noise, it might not be possible to use a respite house. Normally, it might be for four people, but if there is somebody with very high behavioural needs, it might not be possible to have it at full capacity. We are looking at more innovative alternative ways. I visited Swords recently and was heartened to see the development they had there. They had a fabulous respite house which I officially opened, but when they were showing me through, they brought me to the back end - the annexe - which had its own front door where, in fact, it would support an individual who had autism or high-functioning needs. While it could be part of the house, it was separate.

It is that piece of modelling that I highlight. We have to become more innovative. We need to look at creating that layer within. I recognise parents need that support. That is why we have 10,000 additional respite bed nights built in to 2021 and we will see more coming on in 2022. What we will see in 2022 is the guts of another nine respite houses coming on, two of which will be for children with complex needs, with one for those with Prader-Willi syndrome. We will see then, depending on the demographics and the needs of the area, where we are with that piece of alternative respite to support people with autism.

I was fortunate in the budget this year. I will have a pilot project coming on to look at where the key performance indicator, KPI, is not always death but is instead that serious emergency, and that is with a view to supporting ageing families. I thank the Department for its support on it, and the HSE with which we are engaging in that conversation. The pilot is about how we can have that lower level intervention to support people to live within their communities but that is more supported independent living. They can still attend day service, they can still attend work but they need that oversight. The families I think of need to have the peace of mind that their family member has transitioned to move on. Does that answer the question?