Mr. Colm Desmond:

I cannot disagree with the Senator on the priority we would like to see on care being provided to individuals and individuals being accommodated, if that is the appropriate issue, closest to where their need is and, ideally, in a community or primary care setting. The focus of the hearing has, understandably, been on the scale of the particular project under discussion. I mentioned the National Rehabilitation Hospital in my opening statement. There are also the primary care programme, community nursing units, disability and other work of which the Senator is aware. The focus of Sláintecare is entirely to support this. The Minister supports this and an implementation plan is in process. Deadlines are in place with regard to when it will move forward. Our ideal would be to have equality of development of the most appropriate accommodation settings for individuals. I agree the National Rehabilitation Hospital has a history. It arose out of various reports on rehabilitation so at least the development of the hospital was based on evidence. I agree with the Senator that we are learning from the need to tee up these processes in a more sequential manner. Sláintecare has an emphasis on all the issues raised by the Senator.

I can comment only on the health sector. Obviously, other matters, such as the housing and employment issues mentioned by the Senator, are wider societal challenges for the Government. He is aware of the very good collaborative work done between the health sector and other Departments on homelessness and housing. They are small steps but they are significant. The housing strategy recognises the need to collaborate with regard to people with disabilities. There is also the decongregation programme as well as the challenges posed by the need to adhere to certain standards.

The focus has been on the big project but we do not lose sight of all the issues raised by the Senator. There is significant acceptance and agreement in the health sector on the need to give equal emphasis to what the Senator has described.