Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important issue. I also thank her for giving me the opportunity to outline the position in terms of the provision of residential services for children in the Limerick and Tipperary area. I am informed by the HSE mid-west community health care that seven children await to be placed in full-time residential care - five in Limerick and two in north Tipperary.

Disability service provision is moving towards a community-based and inclusive model rather than being institutional and segregated. The Government's objective is to deliver disability services that are person centred. Being person centred is about putting those who use our service at the centre of all our activities. It is about listening to people or their advocates and transferring our focus from the service to the people who use same. Our policy is for people with disabilities to be supported to achieve their full potential so that, where possible, they can live ordinary lives in ordinary places doing ordinary things.

The HSE has recognised that first class early intervention services and services for school aged children with disability are paramount and need to be improved and organised more effectively. This process is well under way nationwide.

The HSE is currently engaged in the reconfiguration of existing therapy resources under the national programme on progressing disability services for children and young people. The aims of this programme are to bring about equity of access to disability services and consistency of service delivery, with a clear pathway for children and their families to disability services, regardless of where they live, what school the child attends or the nature of the child's difficulties.

Increased demand for residential places is acknowledged by the HSE as a challenge for all service providers arising from the lack of availability of development funding during the economic downturn. It should also be noted that given the introduction of the national standards for residential services for children and adults with disabilities, every new residential centre must now be approved by the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA. All centres providing residential services, including respite services, to children and adults with disabilities now need to be registered with HIQA by law. Each centre will be visited by HIQA inspectors to ensure that they provide an appropriate standard of care.

The need for increased residential facilities is acknowledged. The HSE continues to work with agencies to explore various ways to respond to this need in line with the budget available.

We want to ensure that people with disabilities are safe and empowered to maximise their potential through respect and understanding. This means that services will be delivered through a range of options in line with those available to the wider population.