Brian Walsh (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 509: To ask the Minister for Health his views on the introduction of an individualised budget for the care of people with disabilities as recommended in a recent report on disability policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28681/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I assume the report the Deputy is referring to is the Report of the Disability Policy Review drawn up by an Expert Reference Group at the request of the Department of Health which I formally released for public consultation at the end of last week.

The funding of disability services by the Department of Health is the subject of a detailed Value for Money and Policy Review as part of the Government's Value for Money Reviews for the period 2009 to 2011.

As part of the overall VFM review, a separate Expert Reference Group on Disability Policy was established to look specifically at existing disability policy and whether it needs to be changed to better meet the expectations and objectives of people with disabilities. As part of this review, a public consultation process on existing disability services was also undertaken which confirmed that people with disabilities and their families, more than anything else, are looking for more choice in the services they receive and more control over how they access them.

The report proposes a very significant reframing of disability services towards a model of individualised supports, underpinned by mainstreaming of all public services. On this basis, State funding would be allocated based on an independent assessment of individual needs. Following the needs assessments, individual support plans would then be drawn up and individualised budgets allocated from which the supports and services needed would be purchased.

A number of mechanisms are proposed to achieve this, including a broker system where the person has the choice and control but the broker administers the budget and commissions supports and services on their behalf, or direct payments where the person manages the budget and purchases the supports themselves.

The Group's final report has already been the subject of internal consultation within the Department of Health and more recently it has been circulated to other Government Departments for their views. It has now been released for the public and interested parties to have their say and I would encourage all those with an interest in this area to take this opportunity to have their say on the future direction of disability policy in this country.

The VFM exercise is due to be completed by year end with the submissions from the public consultation on the Disability Review also to be collated and analysed in that timeframe. It is then my intention to look at both reports together and in conjunction with Minister Reilly to ensure that proposals for the future of our disability services are brought to Government.