Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 221: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the funding made available to the recently announced advocacy service for persons with a disability; the number of persons who will benefit from the advocacy service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44729/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Advocacy Service for people with disabilities will be set up under the Citizens Information Board (CIB). The new Service will provide independent, representative advocacy services for people with disabilities and will be in place from January 2011. The service will be regionally structured; with five regional teams replacing the existing pilot projects which have provided assistance to more than 5,000 people with disabilities. The five regional teams will be managed by Citizens Information Services in Dublin, Westmeath, Offaly, Waterford and Leitrim.

Advocacy Support Workers will also be recruited to support the provision of an enhanced mainstream service so that more people with disabilities can access and use the general Citizens Information Service while the National Advocacy Service will seek out and respond to more vulnerable people with disabilities. The new service will be undertaken within current resources, providing a more integrated service and achieving better value for money. Funding to the National Advocacy Service in 2011 will be in the order of some €3.2 million and will be included in the overall CIB allocation.

I am satisfied that the National Advocacy Service will give a voice to people with disabilities who are isolated in the community or who are living in residential institutions and who cannot represent themselves. In addition, it will protect their rights, help them gain their entitlements, obtain a fair hearing and make positive changes in their quality of life.