Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Health if he will refrain from imposing any further cuts to the disability sector; and if he will make a commitment to protect the current level of funding that exists. [57922/12]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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This Government currently provides funding of over €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the HSE’s National Service Plan for 2013 , and is committed to protecting frontline services for people with disabilities to the greatest possible extent.

The Minister for Health is working to ensure that protection is afforded to the disability sector, and the Social Care area as a whole.

In 2013 the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2012, by providing the following specialist disability services:

- residential services to over 9,000 people with a disability;

- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;

- respite residential support for over 7,500 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;

- 1.68m hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.