Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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3. To ask the Minister for Health when the task force for the implementation of personalised budgets for persons with disabilities will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21104/16]

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, for his co-operation on my portfolio so far. As I said previously, I look forward to working further with him. When will the task force for the implementation of personalised budgets be established? I ask him to make a statement on the matter.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony for her comments. I will work with all Opposition Members in improving services for people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The establishment of a task force on personalised budgets is a key element of the commitment in the programme for Government to give people with disabilities greater control, independence and choice.

Personalised budgets transfer control back to the individual and give him or her the freedom to source the services and supports which best meet his or her needs. While the concept of personalised budgets is not limited to health and personal social services, my view is that the task force should concentrate on personalised budgets for services for people with disabilities funded by the HSE in the first instance. Some work has commenced on scoping how to introduce individualised budgets in health-funded disability services as part of the Transforming Lives reform programme. The task force will build on this work.

I am committed to setting up the task force as soon as possible. I am in the process of finalising my plans in that regard. I intend to inform the Government of my decision on who will chair the task force by the end of this month. I also intend to outline to the Government on that occasion my plans for the appointment of members of the task force and the development of terms of reference, objectives, scope and key deliverables. With the support of the Government, I will then proceed to appoint members and arrange for the first meeting as soon as practicable. Some of the groundwork in this regard has commenced. I have set myself clear targets. I have said this is one of the projects I want to be set up and to be up and running within 100 days of taking office. I think we have been in office for approximately 67 days. We are on target to get the project up and running. I will come back later with more details in this respect.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am still looking for an exact date for the establishment of the task force. We were told in the programme for Government that the Government would "establish a Taskforce within 3 months". That will bring us into August. I wonder whether it will be possible for the task force to be set up when the House is in recess. I know that the Minister of State has very good intentions, but it is not good enough for him to say this will be done "as soon as possible". People need an exact date.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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Yes.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister of State tell us whether the committee will cross the Departments of Health, Social Protection and Justice and Equality? The Minister of State mentioned the terms of reference, which will be very important.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I have decided to appoint a chairperson and have a person in mind. I will announce that person's name in a matter of days. The Government will be informed of my plans for the appointment of the chairperson and the composition of the task force by 26 July next. That is the date I have set for myself. The Deputy is right when she says we cannot let this go into August. I am working on a memorandum for Government to be presented at the last Cabinet meeting before the summer recess. On that occasion, I will outline to the Government my plans for the membership and the secretariat of the task force and for the development of terms of reference. This will be followed as soon as practicable by the appointment of the members of the task force and the making of arrangements for its first meeting. The direct answer to the Deputy is that 26 July is my short-term target. I want to have the task force up and running by the end of the month.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for giving me a definite date. I will watch every move to make sure this happens.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I know that the Deputy will do so.

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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It has been reported that the Minister of State has said a "seismic shift" is needed in how disability services are provided and funded. Will he confirm that is what he said? What did he mean by it? I presume the one-size-fits-all approach is not going to work anymore. A great deal of money is being allocated to service providers. I suggest it be given to individuals and community-based projects. I ask the Minister of State to comment on this.

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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I can confirm that there will be a seismic shift as we reform the services provided for people with disabilities. I am pushing forward a strong reform agenda. The key issue for me is that the entire plan for disability services will be centred on the person with the disability, regardless of whether he or she has an intellectual or a physical disability. I want to change the mindset in Irish society in respecting citizens of the State. Over 600,000 people either have a disability or are in the same family as a person with a disability. As members of society, the people concerned pay their taxes, just like everybody else, and have to be guaranteed services.

On the issue of individualised budgets, I will engage with civic society to build an evidence base, gather data, research international experience and identify available options. I emphasise that parents and families will have a choice in this regard. We will not force any parent to accept an individualised plan. Some parents might have different ideas. The key point for us is to invest in and reform services and ensure money is spent on services. In recent weeks we have seen other instances in which public moneys have been wasted.