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

I give Deputy Billy Kelleher a final commitment that every single person involved in the planned movement from congregated settings into the wider community will be monitored by the people who work in that sector and by my own office. I give the commitment that we will put the services in place where these people are moving to. We will ensure that that is happening. As I said before, I visited some of those places recently. I saw examples of very good practice. I saw examples of the staff changing its own mindset in that they had worked in an institution for 20 years and were now working in a smaller community house with better facilities. They saw the change in the individuals, particularly those with intellectual disabilities. They saw the change of mindset, the change in health and the change in happiness. It is very beneficial. Of course, I agree with Deputy Kelleher that the supports have to be there. People cannot just be left in the community without the supports because that has been a failed policy of the past. That is something that I have to prioritise.

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