Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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37. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the new Health Service Executive service plan, if he will provide a full report on the progress of the implementation on the disability act including an update on the national roll out of network disability teams; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54099/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 provides, inter alia, for an assessment of the needs of eligible applicants occasioned by their disability to be commenced within three months of receipt of an application and completed within a further three months. This Part of the Act was commenced on 1st June 2007 in respect of children aged 5.

There has been a very significant rise in overall activity around the assessment process in recent years in respect of the children now encompassed by the process. The number of application assessments received in 2012 was 3,505 which is over 400 applications more than in 2010. In 2013, a further increase in applications has been experienced. While the HSE faces significant challenges in respect of meeting the statutory time-frames which apply to the assessment of need process, given the number and complexity of cases, it is endeavouring to address the issue within available resources.

The assessment process under the Disability Act 2005 can take place in parallel with any intervention which is identified as necessary for the child. The HSE has issued guidance to its staff to this effect. In addition, the HSE has instituted measures which include: prioritising assessments, holding additional clinics, contracting the private sector to conduct assessments and reconfiguring resources to target greatest need.

With regard to the roll-out of network disability teams, following the publication of a report from the National Disability Authority, commissioned by my Department and the HSE, a major emphasis is being placed on reconfiguring disability services for children into geographically-based early intervention and school aged teams. This is being done as part of the HSE's Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People Programme, which is underway. Of the twenty five HSE areas, six now have network early intervention and school age teams in operation. A further five areas have network early intervention teams in place and are developing school age services.