Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy raises a very important topic. I agree with him that early intervention services are critical, particularly for children with special needs who require either intellectual or physical supports. The programme for Government commits to supporting children in these circumstances. For the first time, children with a disability who are attending preschool education will receive supports under the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme. This major new initiative to ensure children have access to services will mean, for example, that special needs assistants will be made available in preschool settings. The Government recently agreed to provide an additional 860 special needs assistants. This will be of considerable help to the children the Deputy describes both in preschool and primary education.

An additional €500 million has been allocated to the health service, including €31 million secured by the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to support and improve disability services. This funding will be used to deal precisely with the group of children the Deputy describes, as well as adults who are in need of support, particularly those making the transition from school to day care centres. This money will ensure services are available to this group. The Government is, therefore, committed to early intervention and providing supports for the children the Deputy describes. Under the previous Government, the then Minister for Health, Deputy Leo Varadkar, also announced extra funding for speech and occupational therapy.

The Deputy indicated that the Irish Wheelchair Association has some concerns regarding personal assistants. I will convey the points he raises to the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and ask him to respond directly to the Deputy. The general context is one of increased funding for health services, with a special focus on extra funding for disability services, and increases in early years supports for children with special needs, whether intellectual or physical. The Government is committed to this in the programme for Government. I will ask the Minister to respond to the Deputy directly on the personal assistance scheme. I expect that supports will be made available to children who need this kind of support given the commitments made in the programme for Government and the focus and priority the Government has given to increasing funding for the health sector.

As I stated earlier in the week, demand for health services is increasing and attendances are higher. Thankfully, the needs of many of the children in question are being identified at earlier in life. We must provide supports to children with special needs at an earlier time in life. For this reason, I welcome what the Government is doing in ensuring that children with disabilities have access to supports in preschool and primary education.

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