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

I want to warmly thank Deputies Bernard J. Durkan, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Billy Kelleher and all the other Deputies for their contributions to the Second Stage debate on the Health (Amendment) Bill 2017. The Government is committed to delivering on the aims to increase access to safe, timely care, as close to patients’ homes as possible, as set out in A Programme for a Partnership Government. Let us remember it is a partnership Government. The Independent Alliance is making a very positive contribution in regard to these issues, including this legislation, domiciliary care allowance and the prescription charges, on which we had a major input.

The Bill has two parts, first, to extend automatic entitlement to a medical card to all children in receipt of domiciliary care allowance and, second, to reduce prescription charges for medical card holders over 70 years and their dependants. This is a positive development. It is a good news story and it is doing something for the members of society, particularly the weaker sections of society. As Members know, children who are in receipt of domiciliary care allowance are children under the age of 16 years who are considered to have a severe disability and who require ongoing care and attention substantially over and above that required for a child of the same age. Many families are in that position - I understand the figure is in the region of 9,800. This new legislation will mean that all children in respect of whom a domiciliary care allowance payment is made will automatically qualify for a medical card and, therefore, no longer be subject to the medical card means test at any point in the future while in receipt of domiciliary care allowance. This is a positive and constructive development but it is also a major step in regard to the rights of all people with a disability. That is part of my project in regard to services for people with disabilities.

We recognise the added stress that parents are faced with when dealing with a difficult diagnosis. For many of these parents, it is their first time seeking assistance from the State. I hope, by providing an automatic medical card for these children, it will relieve some of the financial burden these families face and provide easier access to the health services their children need. This is a positive development because we need to ensure the weaker sections of society are protected. Like many of my colleagues who spoke in this debate, I believe that is a core ambition and should be a core value of anybody who is elected to the Houses of the Oireachtas.

While we are discussing domiciliary care allowance and other services for people with disabilities, I want to note that the social care disability services plan for 2017 represents a historic investment in disability services after many years of cuts to services. For example, following my negotiations with the HSE for the disability sector, in budget 2017 we will be spending €1.688 billion, an increase of 6%, on disability services.

What does this mean for the person on the ground? It means 8,400 residential places, 182,000 respite overnights, 1.4 million personal assistant hours for 2,400 people, 24,800 day places, 41,000 day respite sessions and 2.75 million home support hours for 7,500 people.

Another issue that came up when I took office was that every single year we had a crisis in dealing with emergency cases. I have managed to secure €16.2 million to support 395 people. The breakdown means that there has been the provision of 185 new emergency places, 210 new home supports and respite for emergency cases. There is to be €10 million for New Directions which includes school leavers and which will support 1,500 people.

The House is aware of the move from congregated settings. There will be €100 million for a capital programme over five years. That means that this year 223 people will be moved to community living and that 50 additional homes will be purchased. I mention those issues because they are very relevant.

Another issue that is very relevant with regard to the disability service plan is what came up earlier today about the Grace case - the issue of protecting vulnerable people. Earlier in the debate I did not have the opportunity to highlight the services that had been put in place in the past few years. We now have a national policy on safeguarding vulnerable persons at risk of abuse. We have an excellent national safeguarding committee, with an independent chairperson, Ms Patricia Rickard Clarke. We have also seen the national quality improvement programme, the national volunteer advocacy programme and the establishment of a family working group with Inclusion Ireland, an organisation that works with people with disabilities. What is more important for families is the appointment of a confidential recipient, Ms Leigh Gath. Through these measures, we are trying to ensure protection through the disability services.

Another of the Government's commitment is to reduce the cost of medicines for Irish patients who have been hammered in recent years by high costs. As stated, this includes a reduction of prescription charges for medical card holders. Budget 2017 included a commitment to reduce prescription charges for medical card holders aged over 70 years and their dependants. This issue is addressed in the second part of this legislation. While the prescription charge was introduced in the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2010, the Act does not allow it to be amended for a particular group. This Bill identifies the over 70s, for whom it provides for a lower charge and for their dependants. After all, it is a small way of saying, "Thank you," for the services and taxes they have paid during the years to the State, particularly during tough times. I am happy to note that this measure has been implemented on an administrative basis since 1 March 2017 and will benefit approximately 390,000 people. However, I stress once again the importance of delivering on this legislation to place the measure on a statutory basis. I ask all Deputies to continue their support for this important legislation. I look forward to further constructive examination of the Bill on Committee Stage.

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