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

I thank my colleagues for raising the important issue of respite and for giving me the opportunity to outline the position on the provision of respite services in County Louth. This Government’s ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service. We are committed to providing service and support for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide them with 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. The provision of respite services has come under additional pressure, and I accept that aspect of the debate, particularly in the last years. These services were devastated for seven or eight years. More children and adults are now seeking access to respite and the changing needs of people with a disability are also having an impact, as they, along with the rest of the population, live longer lives, which is an important aspect of the debate. A Programme for Partnership Government recognises the need for respite services to be developed further and I am committed to ensuring that this happens. I have been in talks about these issues with the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, in the last few days and respite services are at the top of my agenda for the Estimates.

A number of factors impact on respite capacity. One problem is that a significant number of respite beds are regularly used to allow unplanned emergency admissions, leading to the number of available respite nights being down against planned activity. The regulatory and policy context has also changed the manner in which residential and respite services are provided, as agencies comply with regulatory standards. Capacity has generally decreased with requirements for personal and appropriate space. Beds can no longer be used for respite where residents go home at weekends or for holidays. These are the current rules. Implementation of the national policy on congregated settings is also reducing available capacity.

In the HSRs social care operational plan for 2017, 6,320 persons with a disability are expected to avail of centre-based respite services totalling 182,506 overnights. There is work going on, but that does not mean that I do not accept the issues in Louth the Deputies have talked about.

Based on existing levels of service and in addition to the centre-based respite service, it is planned that between 2,000 and 2,500 persons will avail of respite services, such as holiday respite or occasional respite with a host family. It is also planned that based on existing levels of service, a further 41,100 day-only respite sessions will be accessed by persons with a disability.

Furthermore, the HSE has been funded to provide 185 new emergency residential placements and new home support and in-home respite for 210 additional persons who require emergency supports has been allocated. This marks a significant change in the way that respite services are delivered.

The HSE social care division has also committed to further developing home sharing as a person centred and community inclusive type of support for people with disabilities involving the development of an implementation plan in 2017. This will address the priority recommendations of the national expert group report on home sharing published in 2016. It will be led by the national designated disability lead in this area.

In the context of respite services in County Louth, further discussion is ongoing at CHO 8 level regarding the emerging need for additional respite services and the options to be developed to meet these needs. The HSE continues to work with agencies to explore various ways of responding to this need, crucially, in line with the budget available. As I said earlier, that is something I am pushing strongly during the Estimates negotiations.

The HSE has advised me that additional funding would be required for the development of respite services in Louth but that no such funding is available in the 2017 budget allocation. From my point of view, I will continue to seek additional funding for respite and residential places as part of the ongoing discussions on the 2018 Estimates process. That is the key point here in relation to delivering respite services, particularly in this context in the County Louth area.

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