Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank the two Deputies for bringing this important matter to the attention of the House. It is not unrelated to my own responsibility in education, although it is catered for by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, whose apologies have been conveyed to the House.

I recognise the importance of life skills training and day services to people with disabilities who are leaving the education system and assure Members that every effort is being made within the available resources to provide services for all of the 2012 school leavers. Day services for adults with disabilities provide a network of support for more than 25,000 people who have a wide spectrum of needs ranging from those with severe and profound disabilities and who are likely to need long-term specialist service provision to those with lower support needs and a greater potential for community participation and inclusion.

The HSE, through its occupational guidance service, works with schools, service providers, service users and families to identify the needs of young people with disabilities who are due to complete their second level education. The aim is to address the needs of individuals through health-funded life skills training which usually is referred to as rehabilitative or RT training, health-funded day services, FÁS-funded vocational training and further education. Service providers and the HSE have come together under the auspices of the national consultative forum to identify how the needs of those individuals who require day services or RT places in 2012 can be responded to within available resources and the Minister of State is being kept informed of progress on a regular basis. I assure Members the process of notifying families whether a place is available or whether the young person is to be placed on a waiting list has commenced. Many families have been informed this week and every family should know the position very soon.

The demand for services for school leavers continues to grow as more than 660 school leavers will need services in 2012 and suitable placements also must be identified for a further 390 people who are completing their RT course. Disability services are required to cater for demographic pressures such as new services for those leaving school and RT training from within their existing budgets. The budgets for 2012 have been reduced by 3.7% and the moratorium on staff recruitment gives rise to challenges in service provision. However, both the voluntary sector and the HSE are committed to making the best use of available resources in a creative and flexible manner in order to be as responsive as possible to the needs of this cohort of young Irish citizens. To date, more than 500 of those leaving school this year have been placed in an RT place or other day service. In addition, places have been found for 321 of those who are completing their RT course. I thank the HSE disability service and service providers for working to achieve this without additional funding. The HSE and the disability service providers acknowledge this is a difficult time for the young people who have yet to be placed in an appropriate service, as well as for their families. Therefore, the Government will continue to make every effort to find suitable arrangements for them.

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