Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Heydon that it is an excellent report. I thank Ms Catherine Day, Ms Jane Grimson and Ms Deirdre Madden for doing that body of work. In the report we heard from the voluntary sector that the organisations do not mind complying and providing information but they object to the level of bureaucracy and want us to make it simpler, in particular for smaller organisations, and not constantly ask them for the same information in multiple formats. We must reduce the bureaucracy and form filling while making sure that we have the right level of oversight as well.

I accept that we will have to address the funding issues. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, and I will have to look at the legacy issues with Government colleagues. I am sure Deputy Heydon will agree that alongside any funding there must be reform. I refer to such things as personalised budgets. I do not believe the provision of disability and social care services is likely to be confined just to block grants, but will be more about personalised budgets and empowering the person with a disability as well. Like any conversation with any interest group we will have to speak about appropriate levels of funding and certainty of funding but also how we reform and modernise the delivery of the services.

See this speech in context