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

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Day services and rehabilitative training programmes for young adults with disabilities who leave school in 2019 are currently being put in place. This is in line with new directions policy and the additional funding provided by the Government in budget 2019. A national school leaver process has been developed by the HSE over the past four years and funding has been allocated based on the outcomes from a standardised profiling process whereby the support needs of each individual referred are identified.

Governance of the profiling process is overseen by the National Disability Authority which does magnificent work for me, as Minister of State with responsibility for disability issues. At a national level, €12 million has been allocated for the provision of day services and rehabilitative training for young adults with disabilities in 2019. In that regard, 1,628 young people were profiled to determine their support needs and identified as requiring a day service in 2019, of which 1,206 placements require funding in 2019 and onwards. The remaining 422 of the overall 1,628 young people will enter vacancies created by rehabilitative training exits and other notified vacancies arising from people progressing onwards to mainstream or other services.

To date, 56 young people who have an address in County Meath have been referred to the HSE for a HSE funded day service once they leave school in 2019. The HSE advises that 23 young people who left school in Meath in 2018 commenced funded adult day services and these service users are in receipt of the quantum of service they requested.

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