Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise that the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, is not here and I am taking this Topical Issue on his behalf. As Deputies know, I am a Minister of State at the Department of Health and I will, when asked, try to facilitate as many Ministers and Ministers of State as possible and come here on their behalf.

On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, I thank Deputy Browne for raising the issue of funding in relation to St. Aidan’s care services in Gorey, County Wexford.

The Government’s ongoing priority is the safeguarding of vulnerable people in the care of the health service. We are committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities. Disability services are provided to enable each individual with a disability to achieve his or her full potential and maximise independence, including living as independently as possible.

Services are provided in a variety of community and residential settings in partnership with service users, their families and carers and a range of statutory, non-statutory, voluntary and community groups.

Services, in the main, are provided either directly by the HSE or through a range of voluntary service providers. Voluntary agencies provide the majority of services in partnership with and on behalf of the Health Service Executive. HSE disability services have been allocated €1.8 billion in 2018. This includes residential services for 9,000 people, day services for over 24,000 in addition to 182,500 respite overnights, 1.46 million hours of personal assistant services and 2.93 million hours of home support services.

This funding is providing disability services throughout the country across all community healthcare organisations, CHO, areas and is spent in line with nationally agreed policy for disability services while at the same time endeavouring to maximise value.

St. Aidan’s services in County Wexford provides a range of services for adults and children with intellectual disabilities which includes residential care, day services for adults with disabilities, preschool education for children with disabilities, day activation, rehabilitative training, a garden centre and respite services for children with high support needs.

St. Aidan’s receives funding under section 39 of the Health Act 2007 from the HSE and is scheduled to receive €5 million in 2018. St. Aidan’s has identified deficits to the HSE in its agency’s core funding and costs associated with HIQA compliance, and has indicated that this may affect the services it provides.

HIQA is the statutory independent regulator for residential services in the disability and older persons sectors. All residential services are inspected by HIQA and compliance with a number of quality and safely regulations is required for registration. Regulatory compliance is a requirement under the service level arrangements agreed between the HSE and voluntary service providers. Service providers are expected to meet any costs associated with HIQA compliance through their core HSE funding allocation. The Deputy should note that increases in funding can only be considered within the parameters and scope of funding available to the HSE. Local HSE disability services continue to have ongoing liaison and engagement with St. Aidan's regarding deficit issues arising in the context of resources available. The HSE will be producing the 2019 national service plan in accordance with the relevant legislative provisions and funding allocation and additional funding may be considered in this context.

I might have missed one of the issues the Deputy raised. He might come back to it.

See this speech in context