Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her question and wish her well in her new position as Fianna Fáil Party spokesperson on disabilities.

The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in A Programme for a Partnership Government which is guided by two principles, namely, equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

With regard to assisted living services, the Health Service Executive's priority in the 2016 national service plan is to protect the level of services provided in 2015 and to provide 1.3 million hours of personal assistant services for 2,000 people with a physical and-or sensory disability and 2.6 million hours of home support for 7,300 people with a range of disabilities. The provision of personal assistant services has an annual cost of €30 million, with an annual cost of €52 million for home support services.

Personal assistant hours are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure the service is at all times responsive to clients needs and the hours available are allocated appropriately and in a timely manner. In 2015 the Health Service Executive exceeded the expected activity level for personal assistant hours by approximately 100,000. This reflects the responsive nature of the service provided and takes account of the fluctuation in assessed need over time. The need for increased personal assistant services is acknowledged and the HSE continues to explore various ways of responding effectively to this need from available resources.

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