David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on the implementation of direct payments to people with disabilities to allow consumer choice in accessing services and supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20547/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to the provision of personal social support services, rather than mainstream health services, to persons with a disability. These are designed to allow people with a disability to live a life of their choice to the greatest extent possible. As such, the nature, content and extent of such supports should depend upon the degree to which the individual needs them to participate as fully as possible in the social and economic life of their community. Currently, these supports are provided by the Health Service Executive and, more commonly, by voluntary agencies funded by the HSE. They would include, for example, day, respite and residential services.

Persons with a disability who require personal social supports, should have choice and control over the supports provided to them. This is being increasingly addressed through individual funding and individual budgets. Individual funding can ensure that the funding given to an agency for the provision of services to an individual, must be used to provide services for that individual. Individual budgets may involve a dedicated budget which is managed by the individual or by advocates on behalf of that individual.

This year, the Department of Health and Children will be reviewing disability service expenditure within the health sector as part of the Government's programme of Value for Money and Policy Reviews. The review will consider models of funding and budgets for those services which are intended to enable people with a disability to participate in the social and economic life of their community.

In addition, the Minister for Health and Children has established an Expert Group on Resource Allocation in the Health Sector in April 2009. The Group will examine how the existing system of resource allocation within the Irish public health service can be improved to support better the aims of the health reform programme. As part of the terms of reference, the Minister has asked the Expert Group, in the light of its work, to take a view on the most appropriate financing mechanism for the Irish health service. The Group has been asked to report to the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister for Finance by April 2010.