Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children when standards will be set for the administration of assessments of personal needs arising out of disabilities and the drawing up of service statements specifying the services to be provided; and when a mechanism will be put in place to capture the data from the service statements. [16927/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Significant preparatory work related to the implementation of Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 has been undertaken to date by my Department with the Health Service Executive. This includes a programme of consultation which is specifically designed to involve key stakeholders in the formulation of the structure which will support the delivery of the assessment of need process. The programme includes a conference which took place in February and a series of three consultation workshops which are being held in May in Dublin, Carrick on Shannon and Cork.

The ongoing preparatory work in relation to Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 also has to take account of the related provisions in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. These relate to the assessment of children with special educational needs and the delivery of appropriate health related support services by the HSE. These two legislative measures are complementary, with the same standards applying to the assessment of need processes provided for in both Acts. The Department of Health and Children and the HSE are working with the Department of Education and Science and the National Council for Special Education to progress these matters. The outcome of the consultation process, together with the other preparatory work will provide the basis for drafting the necessary regulations provided for in Part 2. This process will inform my Department in relation to the timescale for commencement of the provisions of Part 2, which includes, inter alia, provision for service statements and data collection mechanisms.

Under Sections 31 and 32 of the Disability Act my Department is required to prepare a Sectoral Plan for the implementation of the Act. Work on this plan is currently underway.