Results 141-160 of 9,484 for speaker:Anne Rabbitte

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy, and it gives me the opportunity to set out here that we have put in place the workforce task force, which is really at a high level. It is not just our Department; it includes the Departments of Health, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and Social Protection, and it also includes jobs and recruitment. There is a wide span on it, and at all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely. That school leaver piece is very important to me and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. More than €18 million has been secured for it. Not only that but we are also looking at when the transition planning needs to start. I do not believe that the final year is the right year to do it. I have seen what has been done in Cumas in Wexford this year through the ability...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: It is important for me to recognise the staffing deficits in Cavan and Monaghan. Not only do I recognise it but so does the HSE. Hence, when the children's disability service grant is launched, I hope the Deputy will see an uplift in support for the families and the children. The recruitment is taking place as we speak. When I met the leads and the heads of the HSE only last Tuesday I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: The programme for Government contains a commitment to the autism innovation strategy and the development of a national autism strategy. This autism innovation strategy is currently at an advanced stage in response to this commitment. It is my intention that the strategy will be launched in the first half of this year. This is an important priority for me and for the Minister, Deputy...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I was also pleased to appoint an autism innovation strategy oversight and advisory group that has helped to reshape it. That is made primarily of people who are neurodivergent. I facilitate the gathering of the people but the people who are there are neurodivergent and are shaping the strategy. They are the ones who are setting out the various strands within it. I believe in the model of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Strategies (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely. The first part of the autism innovation strategy was to bring a whole-of-government approach to ensure that we created awareness in all Departments. Some of the time we would say that there was a lot of low-hanging fruit in a lot of the Departments but while working on some of that low-hanging fruit, we gather the data at the same time. It feeds into the national disability...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: The Government is committed to the expansion of specialist services for people with disabilities. The Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, which was published on 14 December, represents a national strategy for capacity increases and service and policy reform in disability services. It is important to say that it is the first time we will have policy funding and reform all under...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: The Government acknowledges challenges faced by children and young people with disabilities and their families accessing essential therapy services in Cavan and Monaghan. The staff vacancy rate for Cavan, which is an Enable Ireland team, is currently 58% with a total of 11.96 whole-time equivalent staff in situ. The staff vacancy rate for Monaghan HSE is at 39%, with a total of 17.81...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: The Deputy has hit a nerve with me on that particular case because it clearly indicates that the national access plan, NAP, which is the HSE's own policy, is not working. If the NAP was working, it would mean when the letter had come back, that child would be automatically added and the parent would not have to go back twice and for their child not to be on the list. NAP is where there are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely. Of course, we want to be that ambitious to ensure that every county would, at a very minimum, have a respite house for children, that is, a house in both Cavan and Monaghan. At this moment, however, the proposal that has been submitted by Edel Quinn is for a respite house for both countries that is operational full-time. That will add capacity. My understanding is that it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: It is important to say that in budget 2024, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and I secured for the first time ever the largest budget for respite, which was €15 million. In a full year, that is €25 million for respite alone. Therefore, we have a very ambitious plan in 2024. The alternative respite services, such as Little Wonders and Kilbixy Paddocks, provide alternatives on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: A capital funding proposal has been submitted to the national HSE office for a bespoke stand-alone respite service facility in Cavan-Monaghan for children up to the age of 18 with an intellectual disability and high-support medical and complex needs. It is important to say the capital plan has not been published yet but the application has been submitted. At the moment I cannot confirm it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: The HSE informs me that planning permission has been submitted to Leitrim County Council for the development of a residential respite service in south Leitrim. It is a five-bed house that, if it works seven over seven, will add a capacity of approximately 1,800 bed nights into the system. That is very welcome and badly needed. Additionally, HSE disability services are currently working...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Residential respite.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I do not have the update on 3 February. The Deputy might know about that better than I as to whether planning was granted. One would hope planning permission was granted because it will add 1,800 additional bed nights capacity in the south Leitrim area and that is badly needed. Funding is ring-fenced for that development. When I met the parents 21 months ago, we did not have a site,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I completely agree. Real progress is being made and that is why on 14 December both the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, and I launched the Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026. It makes a commitment to 900 additional residential places and 500 as part of the decongregation programme during that time. The local authority has a huge role to play on that. It is something we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Ireland fully ratified the UNCRPD in 2018 and the Government remains committed to continuously advancing the rights of persons with disabilities. Ratification of the optional protocol is a commitment in the programme for Government. The timeline for ratifying it was anticipated to follow the conclusion of Ireland's first review period before the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rights of People with Disabilities (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I could not agree more. However, it is also important that we have domestic legislation which ensures the right process is in place. We have made commitments in that regard. We take our international agreements very seriously. That is why, under the stewardship of the Minister, the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act 2022 was introduced. Under that legislation, we...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 88 and 91 together. The HSE provides a range of assisted living services including Personal Assistant (PA) and Home Support Services (HSS) to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives. PA and Home Support Services are provided either directly by the HSE or indirectly through a range of voluntary and private service...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) provide therapeutic services to children with complex needs arising from their disability. There are 3 CDNT teams operating in County Mayo: CDNT 1 (North Mayo), CDNT 2 (South Mayo (Castlebar) and CDNT 3 (West Mayo (Westport and Ballinrobe). The current delays in accessing assessments and therapy services, directly related to vacancies...