Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Health if he will give an assurance that the forthcoming budget will be mindful of persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29185/11]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The level of funding available for the health budget is being considered as part of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and Estimates process for 2012 which is currently under way. Deliberations by the Government on the expenditure allocations for next year are likely to continue up until Budget time and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of those deliberations. The very difficult financial position facing the Exchequer will obviously require very careful management across all areas of expenditure.

However, I would like to assure the Deputy that the National Disability Strategy is the cornerstone of Government policy on disability. Launched back in September 2004, the Government recognised the need for it to be revitalised and re-focused, which is why the Programme for Government has this specific commitment: "We will publish, following wide consultation, a realistic implementation plan for the National Disability Strategy, including sectoral plans with achievable timescales and targets within available resources. We will ensure whole-of-government involvement and monitoring of the Strategy, in partnership with the disability sector".

A whole of Government approach will be taken to the implementation process and in particular "the partnership with the disability sector". One of the key features of the monitoring of the National Disability Strategy is the level of consultation with and direct input from the disability sector. This will continue and actually be improved upon in the new implementation structures.

A major priority for the Government in the coming months will be to finalise the current Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services to ensure that existing funding for people with disabilities is spent to best effect. It is now more important than ever that large scale spending programmes of this nature are subject to detailed periodic review. The VFM Efficiency and Effectiveness Review will make recommendations that will ensure that the very substantial funding, €1.5 billion, provided to the specialist disability health sector is used to maximum benefit for persons with disability, having regard to overall resource constraints which affect all sectors at this time.

As Minister for Equality, Disability, Mental Health and Older People I am committed to ensuring that the needs of our citizens who have a disability are addressed across the whole of Government.