David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The disability capacity review set out the need for €750 million of investment over ten years. The problem is that two years on, there is still no implementation plan and certainly still no funding plan. As the Minister of State will recognise, we need to support complete decongregation of people with intellectual disabilities into more appropriate facilities, which is part of the plan. We also have to ensure we have the investment needed for additional personal assistant, PA, hours and additional home care packages to serve distinct needs and support independent living. We also have a severe shortage of respite care services. Less than a third of carers for adults with intellectual disabilities can avail of respite care. There are lots of pieces to this. There are lots of elements to that disability capacity review. The overall funding ask of €750 million is significant but it is less significant over ten years. The problem is that I have not seen any funding plan or implementation plan. We cannot simply put in place capacity reviews and then not resource them and not put plans in place. Two years on, we need to see the colour of the Government's money.

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