David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has completed the review of congregated settings; her views on the review in relation to the transfer of persons with intellectual disabilities living in such institutions to more appropriate accommodation including those inappropriately placed in psychiatric hospitals; the timescales for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31458/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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In 2007 the Health Service Executive (HSE) set up a Working Group on Congregated Settings to develop a national plan and change programme for transferring people with disabilities living in institutions into the community. It is expected that the Report will develop a framework based on best international practice and up to date research to guide the transfer of identified individuals from congregated settings to a community based setting.

The HSE has informed me that the Report of the Review Group on Congregated Settings is currently at an advanced stage of preparation. Among the issues under consideration by the Group is the setting up of a number of demonstration sites to validate the main recommendations on a proposed new model of service delivery. In addition to the Review on Congregated Settings, a HSE Review of the provision of Adult Day Services for people with disabilities has been completed.

My Department is also engaging in a Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services as part of the Government's Value for Money Reviews for 2009-2011. This in-depth review of Disability Services will assess how well current services for people with disabilities are meeting their objectives and support the future planning and development of services within the appropriate policy framework. 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 context.

Closure plans are currently being developed for large psychiatric hospitals in the context of the implementation of A Vision For Change and this will include arrangements for the transfer of individuals with an intellectual disability to appropriate community residential facilities. All of these policy initiatives are being informed by principles of mainstreaming, community inclusion, independence and choice. A structured consultation process with all stakeholders, including service users and their families, will be an integral part of bringing these policy reviews and their recommendations to finality.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress that has been made regarding the value for money and policy review of disability services; if a steering committee has been established within her Department to oversee the review; the service users and service providers that have been and will be consulted to help inform the review; when she expects the review to be concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31459/10]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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A Review of the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Disability Services in Ireland is being undertaken as part of the Government's Value for Money Reviews for 2009-2011. This in-depth review of disability services will assess how well current services for people with disabilities meet their objectives and support the future planning and development of services. 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. The objectives of the review are to:

Examine disability services in Ireland funded by the Health Service Executive, including the statutory and non-statutory sectors;

Deliver a comprehensive analysis of data in relation to services and service providers; and

Review current policy objectives and provide policy objectives for future service provision.

A Steering Group has been established to oversee the VFMPR and has met six times, and attended a workshop on policy issues. The Steering Group is chaired by an independent chairperson, Mr. Laurence Crowley, and has two other independent members, as well as members drawn from the Disability Sector, Department of Health and Children, the Department of Finance and the HSE. A Project Team and a Policy Expert Reference Group reporting to the Steering Group meet on a regular basis to progress the work of the review. Steady progress is being made with the review, however some slippage in terms of the expected end date has occurred because of the breadth and complexities of the services under review. Difficulties have also been experienced in accessing data essential to the progress of the review due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive. I expect that substantial progress on completing the overall Review will have been made by the end of this year.

A public consultation process was undertaken in late 2009 and attracted almost 200 responses from a wide variety of respondents including service users, family members and service providers. The Project Team has provided a report to the Steering Group on a statistical analysis of the responses. A thematic analysis of the responses is nearing completion and a final report on the consultation is being drafted. The National Disability Authority (NDA) also conducted 15 focus group consultations with people with disabilities, their families, advocates and frontline service providers in March 2010 to inform its advice to the review. I understand that the NDA is currently formulating an Advice Paper incorporating the results of the consultation, together with other relevant research.

The Policy Expert Reference Group is nearing completion of a report to the Steering Group on a new policy framework for the provision of disability services and has taken cognisance of the findings of the public consultation process in developing this policy framework. A further structured consultation process with all stakeholders, including service users and their families, will be an integral part of bringing the policy review to finality. The draft report from the Policy Expert Group is expected in September.