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

I thank the Deputies for raising this motion and welcome our friends in the Gallery from the disability community. I welcome the opportunity to restate the Government's commitment to people with disabilities and their families. I will not oppose the motion as I agree with the sentiments it expresses. I have worked very closely with Deputy Ó Caoláin on this issue in the past. There are important challenges we must face if disability services in this country are to meet the hopes and expectations of those at their heart. I refer, of course, to the service users. The need to think ahead and plan is fundamental to these challenges. I know I speak for everyone in the House this evening when I say this is a significant challenge that we must meet. We can agree that, in spite of advances, the pace of change regarding disability services and fostering a culture which ensures equal opportunities for all has been slow. However, progress is being made.

Disability is not a health issue, nor is it a transport issue or employment issue. It is an equality issue and a rights issue. The Opposition would have us believe at times that there is no joined-up thinking involved. This is not so. The Government has had a whole-of-Government approach to disability for a number of years. The Department of Justice and Equality is the lead policy co-ordinator for disability and equality and it oversees the implementation of the national disability inclusion strategy, which I published last July. The implementation group, which I chair, ensures that all Departments are on schedule to meet their specific targets. As Deputies rightly point out, people are living longer and adults with intellectual disability have age-related illnesses and conditions. More people with a disability have more complex needs. This important message is confirmed in the self-reported figures from the most recent census. The Government is responding by providing the right supports at the right time to support people to live the full and independent lives that we all take for granted. In relation to health, we have embarked on a significant programme of reform which is informing a new model of service provision. This includes the "Transforming Lives", "Time to Move on from Congregated Settings" and "New Directions" initiatives. In 2018, we will continue to drive through this programme of reform and to develop our workforce to ensure the delivery of a person-centred social care model of service. We will continue to strengthen and enhance governance and accountability across the entire disability service sector.

Since the commencement of Part 2 of the Disability Act in June 2007, any child born on or after 1 June 2002 who is suspected of having a disability is eligible to apply for an assessment of need. The number of new applications for assessment under the Act has risen steadily since it was introduced. In a six-month period in 2007, 1,100 applications were received whereas almost 6,000 applications were received in 2017. Substantial work was undertaken during 2017 to address waiting times for assessments of need under the Disability Act 2005. All community health care organisations have developed improvement plans to address areas of non-compliance with the statutory timeframes. A revised standard operating procedure for assessments of need has been developed to ensure that there is a standardised approach to assessment across all areas. The new procedure will support children with disabilities to access timely assessment and appropriate intervention and is effective from next week. This will also assist in reducing waiting times both for assessment and interventions.

I assure the House that the Government appreciates that waiting times for therapy supports can be very difficult for those affected. Significant investment has been made in the therapy area in the last few years and the investment has been augmented and bolstered by further funding as recently as budget 2018. For example, funding of €4 million was provided in 2016 for up to 83 additional full-time speech and language therapy posts to prioritise the longest waiting children. As a result of this initiative, total national waiting lists for under 18s have decreased by over 10% from July 2016 to January 2018. Furthermore and acknowledging the particular challenges in accessing occupational therapy services, funding was provided in budget 2018 for additional 40 occupational therapy posts. It is important to acknowledge that in the context of tonight's debate.

A number of Deputies referred to respite services and home support. The Government's ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service. As part of its ongoing service provision, this year the HSE will provide over 182,000 respite nights and 42,500 day respite sessions to families in need right across the country. I accept the points made earlier. We acknowledge that there is an urgent need for increased respite care throughout the country. That is why an additional €10 million has been secured specifically to enhance respite care in the disability sector. This is being rolled out as I speak. A fund of €8 million will be used to provide 12 new dedicated respite houses which will come on stream this year. That is one in each HSE community health organisation area and three in the greater Dublin area. It will add 19,000 extra respite nights in a full year. In addition, a further €2 million extra funding will be used for innovative respite solutions such as home sharing and extended day services to provide assistance where people and families need it most.

I turn to day services for people with disabilities. An additional €12.5 million will be provided this year - €25 million in a full year - to fund 1,500 school leavers and those exiting rehabilitative training who will require a HSE funded adult day service next September. It is hoped that the HSE will be able to inform families of placements by the end of May. As in previous years, the HSE will endeavour to ensure that the maximum amount of the allocated funding is retained for providing services. While needs in 2018 appear to be greater than in previous years, every effort will be made to curtail the amount of funding that has to be allocated for rent lease. Some funding will also be used to equip new locations. I assure the House and those in attendance that the HSE is actively engaged with all day service providers and other stakeholders in developing solutions to meet the identified needs of school leavers in 2018.

In relation to community living, I note that there are now fewer than 2,400 people living in congregated settings. A further 170 people are expected to move to community living this year. The HSE has a commitment of €100 million in capital funding from my Department to accelerate the decongregation process and capital assistance funding of €88 million is available this year from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government specifically for the disability sector. This is joined-up thinking and it shows how a whole-of-Government approach to disabilities works for individuals.

The Government is committed to protecting the level of personal assistant, PA, services and home support services available to persons with disabilities and has provided 1.46 million hours of personal assistance to more than 2,000 persons with a disability, an increase of 60,000 hours on the 2017 target, as well as providing 2.93 million hours of home support to adults and children with a disability, an increase of 180,000 hours over the 2017 target.

This Government's objective is to deliver disability services that are person centred. Being person centred is about putting those who use our service at the centre of all our activities. I am listening to the Opposition but I am also listening to the disability community. It is about listening to people and their advocates and transferring our focus from the service itself to the people who use it. I share with my ministerial colleagues and the other members of the Government a strong desire to ensure that people with disabilities are afforded every opportunity to realise their potential in every dimension of their lives, and I support a rights-based approach.

The Government is committed to improving income supports and employment services for people with disabilities. Both budgets in 2017 and 2018 provided for a €5 increase in the maximum weekly rates of all social insurance and social assistance payments, including the blind pension, disability allowance, illness benefit and invalidity pension.

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