John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I believe I have ten.

Yesterday, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Hanafin, entered the debate by explaining the reasons for the Government's decisions regarding the reductions in some social welfare payments. I will not go over all of that except to say I agree with the Minister's presentation and support what she is doing.

My area of responsibility is disability and mental health and it is clear some of the proposed reductions will affect people with disabilities. Some months ago when I took this position in the Department of Health and Children, I made clear to all groups representing disabilities and mental health issues that the last thing the Government would do was to hide behind the recession or try to reduce services by making the excuse of harsh economic times. The budget was crafted to a level that gives belief to people in the disability and mental health sectors that the Government is keeping faith with its commitments in the programme for Government and the national disability strategy.

I do not intend to use the few minutes I have to outline the funding that is still in place but at the same time it is very important to explain at every opportunity to people in the disability and mental health sectors the deep commitments and proposals that remain intact. In the past 15 months I have met, on a weekly basis, at least three or four groups representing the two sectors and have given clear commitments of what we should do for the future. Regarding mental health, I committed to securing a multi-annual capital programme and I am thankful to say it is now in place. In the disability sector, while I acknowledge the difficulties within the economic sector in recent times, at the same time it is important to acknowledge the work done by the service providers 365 days per year. I try to show a serious commitment remains by pointing out that in spite of a very serious economic decline the renewed programme for Government reaffirms our commitment to the area of disability.

There was consistency regarding this sector and the budgetary debate. Some €3 million was provided in this budget for an innovation programme to ensure that people with disabilities could make the transfer from institutionalised care to residential care in the community. Again, it is a matter of trying to underline that even though we are in difficult economic times our commitment remains. During last year it was brought to my attention by many of the voluntary groups, Inclusion Ireland in particular, that the Government was not providing funding for the inspection of children with disabilities who were in residential care. This point was made to Government on many occasions and it is fair to point out that in the budget commitment funding was approved for this specific area.

I am trying to bring balance to this debate by saying that, on the one hand, there have been cuts under the social welfare code affecting the disability and mental health sectors but, on the other, there is also provision to retain the strategy.

A total of €1.6 billion is set aside by Government for the disability sector. Some months ago I announced a review of this sector, but I want to reaffirm the senior Minister's commitment, and that of the Government, that this will not be a device to secure funding or divert funding to some other black hole in the health sector. I have given a public commitment that anything saved by this value for money review will remain within the disability sector. That confirms that while we are in harsh economic times, nevertheless, the underlying programme commitment remains. To prove that this is not a device to divert funding, I have insisted that two people from the disability sector be appointed to the review committee and I am pleased the two people concerned have accepted the appointment.

In terms of where the disability and mental health sectors go from here following the recent budget, I take the point made by Deputy Costello regarding the need to poverty-proof the Cabinet handbook in this area, but it is fair to make the point also that the Secretaries General of the five sectors involved in this area are also working with Government to ensure that we adhere to the commitment we made in the disability sector. I am pleased to say we remain loyal to the commitment that 7,000 people with disability would be at work by 2010.

It is fair to make the point also that by changing the support structure in that specific area, the disability sector is acknowledging that is the position we are moving toward. Also, even though there have been cutbacks in the sector, there has been a 15% increase by way of disability grants by local authorities to the disability sector and to the elderly.

It is important also to state, and this has been accepted by many people I meet who have disabilities, that even though we are in a difficult economic time, we must prepare a five-year programme which must take into account funding for housing for people with disabilities, ensure that the job commitments we have made are realised and, more importantly, and this is the most important aspect in terms of my sector, that the review we have announced is not just a way of saving money. It is well known that the disability sector is concerned to ensure that the review we speak about is not just a money saving exercise.

I want to refer briefly to the retention and promotion of policy in the education area in the recent budget and the retention of our commitments to fund education. The renewed programme for Government announced in 2009, which is supported in the budget, commits the Government to further investment in the development of services for pupils with special educational needs. It is fair to make the point that this is a significant achievement in a time of reduced public spending. The renewed programme commits to the expansion in the number of psychologists employed directly by the National Educational Psychological Service.

I am not trying to hide the fact that funding has been reduced but the overall plan for the future is to assure the disability sector in terms of the objectives of the review now in place, and I want to thank Mr. Crowley for accepting the position as chair, and ensure that the report will be with the Government before the end of March.

I speak directly to the disability sector when I say that, notwithstanding the motion before the House, which specifically refers to certain reductions, the current review will examine the disability services in Ireland funded by the Health Service Executive, including the statutory and non-statutory sectors; deliver a comprehensive analysis of data in regard to services and service providers; review current policy objectives; and provide policy objectives for future service provision. I expect this review will be completed by March and in terms of what we will be announcing some time in February by way of job promotion, it is not just a clearing of policy, so to speak. It will become a regional drive on behalf of the Government to involve entrepreneurs, business people, the State and semi-State sectors and local authorities in ensuring that we deliver upon that commitment.

The strategy recognises that we are living in difficult times and is consistent with the principles in A Vision for Change on the mental health side. The drive will be toward ensuring that we maintain a base level of funding to retain what was achieved in better times.

I will conclude by echoing what the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, said last night. No Minister or Deputy on this side of the House is in the business of making life difficult for people in receipt of social welfare payments, but there is also a responsibility to ensure that the economy arrives at a point where we can maintain levels of service for those in receipt of social welfare. The difficult decisions were made in that context. People should stand back and consider, first, that funding that has been retained, second, earmarked funding has been added to and, third, the national disability strategy remains in place and will continue to be supported.

See this speech in context