Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Health if he will reconsider the cuts in pay and hours that have been applied to personal assistants who provide support to persons with severe disabilities; and if he will respond to the demands of the newly formed leaders' alliance, which is advocating on the full restoration of this service by the Health Service Executive [8494/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides a range of assisted living services including Personal Assistant services to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives.

In 2011, a total of 1.68 million personal assistant/home support hours were provided to 11,571 persons with physical and/or sensory disability. Although the funding allocated to disability services has been cut by 3.7%, the HSE aims to maintain this level of service in 2012. Service efficiencies will be achieved through a process of negotiation with service providers around the unit cost of providing the service rather than reducing the number of hours or the pay of personal assistants.

At this point in time, the HSE is not aware of any service provider that has applied reductions in pay or hours to personal assistants who provide support to persons with disabilities.