Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. I thank the Deputy for raising it and I am pleased to take the opportunity to outline the position on funding for the Daughters of Charity services at St. Vincent's Centre, Navan Road, Dublin 7.

I reaffirm the Government's commitment to providing high quality services for all people with a disability under the national disability strategy which has the objective of putting in place the most effective combination of legislation, policies, institutional arrangements and services to support and reinforce equal participation for people with disabilities. The strategy is the framework being used to achieve positive and active measures to support the participation of people with disabilities in society. Government policy and best practice recognise that clients and service users need to be at the centre of service delivery. On an ongoing basis, we are examining the way in which services are delivered to ensure people with disabilities are provided with the best possible services in an efficient and appropriate manner.

The Government's commitment in the area of disability and mental health is consistent. Overall, approximately €1.6 billion is spent annually by the health service on disability programmes, including residential, day care, respite, assessments and rehabilitation services. In recent years significant additional resources have been provided for services and supports in this area. The multi-annual investment programme 2006-09, a key component of the Government's disability strategy, had by the end of 2008 provided for approximately 804 new residential places, 307 new respite places and 1,863 new day places for the intellectual disability service and 275 new residential places and 911,626 extra home care or personal assistance hours for people with physical and sensory disabilities.

The HSE has advised the Minister for Health and Children that it is very much aware of the valuable contribution of the services provided by the Daughters of Charity for people with intellectual disabilities in Dublin. During the period of the multi-annual investment programme the Daughters of Charity services received funding from the HSE in the region of €85.126 million in 2005, €94.748 million in 2006, €101.301 million in 2007, €106.790 million in 2008 and €110.542 million in 2009. This sustained level of additional investment reflected the significant growth and development of the Daughters of Charity services throughout this period.

The HSE is aware of the challenges service providers, including the Daughters of Charity, are experiencing and the particular difficulties facing all health services in 2010. In this context, it is vital that all providers work creatively and co-operatively to ensure the maximum level of service is maintained for service users within the funding resources available. The HSE plans to maintain access to appropriate treatments and services for clients during 2010, despite the current resource pressures. It is aware of the challenges which this reduction in allocation will present to organisations in ensuring they meet the needs of service users and in planning for emergencies that arise throughout the year. It is recognised that the maintaining of service levels within available resources will require significant levels of co-operation, change, flexibility and creativity. The HSE will continue to work in partnership with the voluntary service providers in dealing with issues that arise from funding allocations to ensure the needs of service users are prioritised and addressed.

Disability service providers have been requested to submit their plans for the maintenance of service levels within available resources. They have been asked to review all items of expenditure which do not immediately and directly affect front-line services and consider where rationalisation can be effected in other areas; review the manner in which services are delivered; identify any opportunities to reduce costs by sharing services and-or activities with other statutory or non-statutory agencies; reduce the cost of back office administration functions and all other unnecessary costs; and consider rationalising general management structures. The HSE will continue to work with voluntary service providers to streamline costs and identify areas in which efficiencies can be achieved without affecting front-line service delivery.

See this speech in context