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

I am delighted to have the opportunity to deal with this issue because there has been much misinformation in recent weeks put out by people for political reasons. The Government’s priority is to provide access to high quality day services for as many people with disabilities as possible. The HSE funds day services for over 27,000 people with disabilities, including day services and rehabilitative training programmes.

The HSE’s New Directions policy seeks to reconfigure and personalise HSE funded adult day services. It offers a flexible and individualised set of supports to enable each person to live a life of their choosing in accordance with their own wishes and needs.

Rehabilitative training programmes are designed to equip participants with basic personal, social and work related skills. Approximately 2,200 people attend rehabilitative training programmes, including the approximately 400 new school leavers who commenced their rehabilitative training programme in September this year. The rehabilitative training bonus payment is payable at a rate of €31.80 per week. It was introduced in 2001, aligned with a similar FÁS training bonus that later became the SOLAS vocational training programme payment. It is important to note that this payment was reduced in 2011 and discontinued in 2012, while, to date, the rehabilitative training bonus has continued to be paid in the health sector. Since September, the rehabilitative training bonus payment no longer applies to new attendees. Rather, the money that would have been spent on the bonus, estimated at approximately €3.7 million over four years, will be used to address unmet needs in day service provision for people with disabilities. There is no cut. The 2,200 people participating in the training programme receive the €31.80 payment per week. We can, therefore, bury that issue.

Members come here and talk about services. I will give them services. The redirected funding which the HSE has confirmed will be ring-fenced will be used to create – I hope the Deputy will listen to this point - approximately 148 additional full day placements or 370 additional enhanced day places nationally.

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