Seanad debates

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

Services for People with Disabilities: Motion

 

4:55 pm

Photo of Mary MoranMary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The allocation of €1.4 billion for 2014 will provide numerous supports for people with disabilities across the country. It is not always about how much we allocate but how to use the money most effectively and efficiently. Through my role in this sector, I hear that the quality of the personal assistance service could be improved. In the mental health sector, we now have a person to lead service user engagement to improve our mental health services. I am aware the Minister has set up and I commend her on chairing the National Disability Strategy Implementation group which is progressing the national disability strategy. I believe further consultation could be conducted on the specific area of personal assistance service with service users. This would certainly lead to a much-needed improvement in the service as well as possible cost savings. Both sides of the House would agree and acknowledge that elements of the HSE require reform and overhaul, which is being undertaken at present. I have advocated during my time for further and meaningful engagement with service users across the whole health sector. We are now specifically looking at this with the mental health and disability service users. It is important to actively engage with personal assistance service users in order to make the service a person-lead service.

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