James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that in the context of the current financial challenges facing the Health Service Executive, I have instructed the executive to continue to provide services to people in receipt of personal assistant services in accordance with their needs. While savings have to be achieved out of the total disability budget of €1.4 billion per annum, the HSE has been requested to distribute adjustments across the sector, with a focus on cutting administration, training and travel costs and better cash management. I have also asked the HSE to work with the non-statutory agencies to minimise the impact on services within the disability sector and report regularly to me on these measures. The application of these measures will be reviewed regularly to ensure they are being applied as fairly and sympathetically as possible. I am co-operating very closely in this regard with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch.

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