David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 15: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when he intends introducing the advocacy service for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4661/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The introduction of a personal advocacy service for people with disabilities is provided for in the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 which was published in September 2004 in conjunction with the Disability Bill 2004.

The Comhairle (Amendment) Bill is a key element of the Government's legislative programme for improving services for people with disabilities. The combination of this Bill, the Disability Act, 2005 and the accompanying outline sectoral plans for accessible public services, together with the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 are intended to convey clearly the Government's intention to have the legislation, policies, institutions and services in place to support and reinforce equal access to services for people with disabilities.

The Disability Bill 2001 proposed the introduction by Comhairle of a personal advocacy service. However, the proposed new service would have resulted in such a fundamental change to the primary functions of Comhairle that it was decided that the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill, which would seek to amend the functions of Comhairle in line with Government policy, was required.

The Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004, has as its primary purpose the amendment of the Comhairle Act 2000, to assign additional and enhanced functions to Comhairle which will enable it to introduce a personal advocacy service for people with disabilities. The Bill envisages advocacy services as "supporting people with disabilities to identify and understand their needs and options and to secure their entitlements to social services". Social services are broadly defined. They include health, social welfare, education, family support, housing, taxation, citizenship, consumer matters, employment and training.

The proposed service will provide for the assignment of a personal advocate to assist, support and represent a person with a disability in applying for and obtaining social services and in pursuing any right of review or appeal in connection with those services. It is envisaged that the new personal advocacy service will be introduced early in 2008.

In preparation for the proposed services contained in the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004, an amount of €1 million was provided to Comhairle in 2005 to commence preparatory work. In September 2005, Comhairle published guidelines for the development of advocacy services by voluntary organisations and launched a new programme of support for advocacy services for people with disabilities. This programme will be delivered by 13 organisations across the country in the voluntary and community sector. The funding provided by Comhairle will provide trained advocates within the organisations concerned to assist vulnerable people with a disability in addressing their individual needs and options. The advocates will represent, for example, people with dementia, people who wish to move into independent living, people in long-term residential services and young people with learning disabilities completing education or training. They will also assist people with mental health difficulties leaving hospital so that they can be supported in making the transition back into their communities.

I propose to bring the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004 before the Houses of the Oireachtas in this parliamentary session.