Written answers

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

Department of Health and Children

Services for People with Disabilities

8:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the consultation that she has had with the Department with responsibility for disabilities regarding persons with disabilities who have reached the age of 18 years and have no education or training places assigned to them; if provision will be made for the needs of these people as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23801/09]

Photo of John MoloneyJohn Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of rehabilitative training to persons with a disability who have reached 18 years of age is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive.

With regard to the specific issue of availability of day places, the Department of Health and Children and the HSE are aware of the particular needs of school leavers in September 2009. The HSE, through its occupational guidance service, has been working with schools, service providers, service users and families to identify the needs of young people with disabilities who are approaching completion of their second level education. The needs of these individuals may be addressed through one or more of the following services: health funded rehabilitative training, health funded day services, FÁS funded rehabilitative training, FÁS funded vocational training and approval to extend education placement for a specified period of time. Plans are being finalised by the HSE in each local health office with service providers to address identified needs for health funded day services or rehabilitative training. Some funding may be available within the context of the HSE's service plan to provide additional capacity in the event that existing services are not in a position to accommodate an individual's service requirements. The HSE and the Department of Health and Children will monitor the outcome of this process to ensure that, in as far as possible, the needs of each individual young person with a disability leaving school in 2009 will be addressed.

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