Written answers

Thursday, 22 June 2006

Department of Health and Children

Services for People with Disabilities

5:00 pm

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 105: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the dialogue she has had with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to support services for people with disabilities currently provided under the FÁS employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24322/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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In line with the Government decision of 1998, which provided for the mainstreaming of services for people with disabilities, responsibility for the provision of vocational training and employment services transferred from the Department of Health and Children to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in 2000. At that time an Inter-Departmental Committee, the National Coordination Committee on Training, Work and Employment (NCC), was established to co-ordinate activities during the transition period and to plan for the further development of these services in the following years.

The work of the NCC is on-going and it continues to provide a valuable forum for the consideration of new and effective enhancements for these key services. In the estimates for 2006, significant additional funding totalling €100 million has been included for the improvement of health funded support services for people with disabilities. As part of this provision, funding of €10 million has been made available to address core under-funding and core staffing issues in services provided by the voluntary sector. The Health Service Executive has been asked to allocate this funding on an equitable basis, having regard to the needs of people with disabilities.

I expect that the Executive's consideration of these needs will take into account any urgent case for funding of necessary services currently provided through FÁS employment schemes.

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