Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am very pleased to be here to discuss my Department’s Further Revised Estimates for 2023. I attended the committee on 8 February and presented the Department’s Estimate for 2023. In the intervening period we have seen the transfer of responsibility for specialised community-based disability services. This took longer than we would have liked but, like the committee, I am delighted it is fully completed. I am also delighted that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is now fully within our Department and we have an enhanced team; many of whom have moved over from the Department of Health. This expansion and the increased budget of the Department requires that I revert with the Further Revised Estimate for debate and approval.

The expansion of the Department arose from the discussions at the time of the formation of the new Government where it was decided to relocate a number of functions across Departments. Certain functions were moved from the Department of Justice, with effect from 14 October 2020. A certain number of functions also moved from my Department to the Departments of Justice, Education and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, respectively. It was also agreed at that stage that responsibility for community-based disability services would transfer from the Department of Health to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and this transfer was finalised on 1 March 2023. This means that my Department now has oversight and responsibility for a budgetary increase of €2.6bn.

Overall, the areas now transferring bring with them funding amounting to an additional €2.6 billion in 2023, so the overall budget for our Department is now €5.9 billion. This is an increase of €2.6 billion from the Estimate approved by the committee in February. As a result, the Department is spending €5.8 billion on current expenditure and €124 million in capital expenditure during 2023.

Looking at the Vote in detail, we discussed with the select committee the details of the funding allocations for the different programme areas, along with a summary of the 2023 allocation by subhead area. We also discussed the changes from the 2022 figures.

In terms of the overall Vote allocation in 2023, including the new allocation, 94% of the Department’s funding is concentrated in five areas of the Vote. These are: specialist community-based disability services, which is 44% of our Vote; early learning and childcare, 17%; Tusla, 15%; Ukraine-related spending, 11%; and international protection accommodation services, IPAS, 7%. The next largest one is youth affairs, representing 1% of the overall allocation. The administrative budget for the Department is also 1%. The remaining balance of 4% of the allocation is spread across the remaining subheads and programmes of the Vote.

At our meeting in February we dealt with the existing parts of the Vote and I gave an expanded overview of the larger areas of the Vote. This Further Revised Estimate now incorporates the transferred functions in respect of the specialist community-based disability services. I will focus on that element, as we have discussed most of the other elements.

The transfer of specialist community-based disability services provides a unique stimulus towards achieving a more equal society and fulfilling our obligations to persons with disabilities. The Minister of State and I strongly believe that the location of disability equality policy and oversight of specialist disability services in a single Department presents a significant opportunity to strengthen strategic disability policy development. Critically, we are determined that it will facilitate the transition from a medical model of support towards a more holistic, human rights-based approach, in line with Ireland’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UNCRPD. Ultimately, it will move us closer to achieving a more equal society, closer to fulfilling Ireland’s commitment under the UNCRPD and to fulfilling our obligations to persons with disabilities across Ireland.

This is of course very much in line with the wider view our Department takes for a fair, equal and inclusive society where rights are respected, and where everyone can reach their potential. It also speaks to the Department’s wider mission to enhance the lives of children, young people, adults, families and communities, recognising diversity and promoting equality of opportunity.

We have been preparing for the transfer for some time. There has been the amalgamation of the existing resources in our Department with the incoming colleagues from the Department of Health in the new disability division. This will build our capacity for strategic leadership and policy-making in the disability sector and also for our ability to engage with the HSE and partners in the sector.

Regarding specialist disability services, the disability capacity review, which was published in 2021, has set out the scale of current unmet need and future demand up to 2032. I recognise the level of increase in resources and investment that will be necessary to meet the service need and to implement the disability capacity review action plan.

We will work with all stakeholders to meet the demands and challenges of an increasing, more complex and ageing demographic, as we seek to ensure that all persons with disabilities can live ordinary lives in ordinary places. In advancing the disability capacity review action plan, my Department will look anew at key policies such as the Transforming Lives programme and the progressing disability services, PDS, model and critically review how specialist disability services can be reformed over time and delivered more sustainably, with more early intervention, and greater control on the part of the individual. We are acutely aware of the continuing pressures within disability services, some of which are long-standing and systemic, and the impact these challenges have on persons with a disability and their families.

We are determined to place a sustained focus on budgetary management and performance oversight and to target further investment where it can have the most positive impact. Staffing is a particular challenge and I welcome the HSE’s commitment to prioritise the recruitment of an additional 521 whole-time equivalents, WTE, to disability services in 2023.

Mainstream-first is at the heart of fair, sustainable and person-centred disability policy. More than 90% of people with disabilities have their needs met through the range of community health and social services available to all citizens. I look forward to continuing collaboration with the Department of Health to ensure a mainstream-first approach is maintained with seamless integration between services.

Across the wider canvas of Government action, the Disability Act 2006 sets out the responsibility on all public bodies to deliver their mainstream services to people with disabilities and to plan and deliver services that are accessible to people with disabilities, in accessible premises, and through provision of accessible information and communications.

More broadly, the development of a new national disability strategy during 2023, a process that will be facilitated and steered by our Department, provides an opportunity to develop a framework for transformative change and a whole-of-government shift to accelerating UNCRPD delivery. We will lead this process and in doing so prioritise the participation of people with disabilities and their representative organisations.

Underpinning this reform will be the development of legislation. Today the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2022 has been commenced.

It is an important step. I am happy to provide further information on these and other areas relevant to the Vote, which are detailed in the brief, as we go through the subheads in our discussion. I and my departmental officials and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, will work closely with all sectors and stakeholders to maximise outcomes for the resources being considered.