Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will support a matter (details supplied). [9086/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE Estimate for 2010 requires the Executive to operate within tight spending parameters while meeting the objective of maintaining population health and access to services. The Minister is confident that the initiatives taken by Government to control costs will allow the HSE to maintain service levels next year. The Minister believes that building on the ambitions and achievements to date of the HSE, there is significant scope within the health system to achieve more through greater efficiency and effectiveness.

In relation to Disability, the HSE National Service Plan 2010 includes the following:

Core disability service levels to be maintained at the same level as 2009

Demographic Service Pressure funding for disability services to provide for a growth in demand for residential, day places and additional hours of personal assistant/home supports.

Innovation funding to support the transition from institutions to person centred models of care in disability and mental health.

In the meantime, the Government is undertaking a review of the efficiency and effectiveness of the health and personal social services for people with disabilities in Ireland. This review is part of the Government's Value for Money and Policy Review programme for 2009 - 2011. This in-depth review will assess how well current health and personal social services for people with disabilities meet their objectives. The evaluation will focus on the current provision of disability services and explore the way forward for the development of services within a value for money and policy framework.

It is expected that the review will develop proposals to achieve optimal effectiveness and efficiency within the existing substantial resources expended on health and personal services for people with a disability and also support the future planning and development of services.