Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Michelle Mulherin for raising this very important issue in respect of respite services. I know that she is a very strong campaigner for people with disabilities, particularly those in the Mayo area. It is a very important issue. I accept many of the points the Senator has raised and I will deal with them later on in my response. It is also important, however, that we know what is going on in respect of the provision of respite care both locally and nationally. The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the need for respite services to be developed further. The Government is committed to safeguarding vulnerable people in the care of the health service by providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives.

The provision of respite services has come under additional pressure in recent years. I accept that point. Particularly since I took over 11 months ago, we have focused any available development funding primarily on the provision of day places for pupils graduating from school or rehabilitative training programmes. This has led to increased demand for respite for those young adults who would have previously accessed respite as children. In my first 12 months we put extra money into providing a day service for those 18 years old and older. That issue has now been resolved and it is now time to move on to the other issues which the Senator raised, such as that of respite care.

The HSE social care operational plan for 2017 aims to provide 182,000 overnight stays in centre-based respite services in addition to the 41,000 day respite sessions. Western Care has a service agreement with the Health Service Executive under section 39 of the Health Act 2004, on whose behalf it provides supports and services to people with intellectual disabilities in County Mayo. This includes funding for respite services for those with an intellectual disability. During 2016, Western Care provided 5,412 bed nights of respite to children and adults in Mayo. The total provided to adults was 4,278 bed nights of respite services located in Belmullet, Ballina, Ballyhaunis, Ballinrobe and Castlebar. In addition, some supports were provided to both children and adults to allow them to remain in their own homes. A total of 162 children and adults availed of this service during 2016 with the level of service each person used varying.

The number of adults currently waiting for respite services in Mayo as per the national database categories is 127. The categories included crisis and planned respite, overnight respite at home, regular part-time care every weekend, regular part-time care on alternate weekends and occasional respite with a host family. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the Senator with the length of time these individuals have been on the waiting list in the timeframe given, but I will ask the HSE to write to the Senator directly with those figures. The Senator mentioned four years. I am absolutely shocked that any family of a person with a disability would not have received respite in four years. That is not acceptable. I will get the HSE to get back to the Senator.

In respect of the Ballina area, Western Care is funded by the HSE to provide 931 bed nights of adult respite per annum throughout 2017. In 2016, this level of service was provided to approximately 40 people. However, in March 2017, respite was cancelled for all service-users in the Ballina area as the facility had to be used to provide emergency residential placement, which caused the blockage there. As a result, Western Care is currently examining all possible options available, including reconfiguration of services, in order to restore some level of respite care in this area. Western Care is currently in discussions with the HSE to examine options with regard to solving this issue. The HSE remains committed to ensuring that respite services resume as quickly as possible. I also wish to reassure the Senator that we have included a strong focus on respite care services in the social care plan for 2017 to 2018 in our negotiations over coming weeks.