John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

If I can be allowed move off my prepared script to answer Senator Corrigan's last question, I am aware of people who left school last year. I intend to deal with that. More importantly, I realise this mirrors what happened last year in that parents and providers are wondering if positions and day places will be available. Before I go into the detail I must say it is well known that new money for development will be in short supply but rather than have people wondering about their future I intend to make an early announcement on what will be available.

I ask the Chair's indulgence on another matter. The Senator left the House on other business during the debate earlier. On the point she raised regarding the inspections of homes and places of care, some time ago I clarified the position to the effect that there was no new money available to initiate the inspections and supervisions. I intend to revisit that issue in the light of Mr. Justice Ryan's report. I see a need to revisit the area, particularly in terms of care centres where people with disabilities are housed.

I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, who cannot be present to address the issues raised by Senator Corrigan. I reaffirm the Government's steadfast commitment to people with disabilities and to the national disability strategy and its long-term goals and objectives, which we will continue to pursue in the coming years in partnership with all the key stakeholders. The co-ordination and planning of services to meet the needs of people with disabilities form a central tenet to the national disability strategy. A critical element of such co-ordination and planning is the requirement to provide financial support for the development and implementation of services.

Since 2005, the Government has provided significant additional resources for services and supports for effecting real change in the development of services for people with disabilities. The multi-annual investment programme, which was a key component of the Government's disability strategy, had by the end of the period 2005-08 provided the following for the intellectual disability services: 804 new residential places, 307 new respite places and 1,863 new day places. In terms of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, 275 new residential places and 911,626 extra home care-personal assistance hours have been provided for. In addition, in the same period, 195 day places have had their services enhanced with the provision of additional supports to allow the places deal with school leavers or other adults with significant disabilities. A total of 406 places in the intellectual disability residential service have been enhanced, 61 respite places have been enhanced while 43 residential places in the physical and sensory disability services have been enhanced.

The increase in services for people with disabilities funded under the multi-annual investment programme has ensured that young people with intellectual disabilities have appropriate services in place, to ensure a smooth transition from secondary school. In some cases, the funding provided supported the school leavers to access appropriate day services, in line with a person centred plan. In many cases, this funding provided places for individuals completing rehabilitative training, thereby creating training places for other school leavers. Due to the current economic situation, it has not been possible to provide significant levels of development funding for additional services in 2009. However, the HSE and voluntary disability service providers are working together to ensure the existing resources available for specialist disability services are used in the most effective manner possible. The common aim of all should be to ensure the needs of as many individuals as possible are catered for within the resources available. Both the voluntary sector and the HSE are committed to the best use of available resources in a creative and flexible manner to be as responsive as possible to the needs that present.

With regard to the specific issue of availability of day places, the Department of Health and Children and the HSE are aware of the particular needs of school leavers in September 2009. The HSE has, through its occupational guidance service, been working with schools, service providers, service users and families to identify the needs of young people with disabilities who are approaching completion of their second level education. It is my intention not to leave it until the last day, as it were, to announce what services can be provided. I am aware of the difficulty last year. It was new to me, as I did not realise the import of it. However, it was brought home to me that there is a need to be able to recruit people in time and the longer there is no clarification, the greater the problem will be. While I cannot guarantee new development money, I will outline the clear position of what can be made available in the hope we can meet as much of the need as possible.

The needs of these individuals may be addressed through one or more of the following services: health funded rehabilitative training, health funded day services, FÁS funded rehabilitative training, FÁS funded vocational training and approval to extend education placement for a specified period of time. Plans are being finalised by the HSE in each local health office with service providers to address identified needs for health funded day services or rehabilitative training. Some funding may be available within the context of the HSE's service plan to provide additional capacity in the event that existing services are not in a position to accommodate an individual's service requirements. The HSE and the Department of Health and Children will monitor the outcome of this process to ensure that, in as far is possible, the needs of each individual young person with a disability leaving school in 2009 will be addressed.