Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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259. To ask the Minister for Health the amount of the €3 million funding for autism services that he announced in January 2012 that has been spent to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31757/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The allocation of funding of the disability sector is a matter for the Health Service Executive in the first instance and needs to be considered in light of available resources and the relevant service priorities. In general terms, HSE disability services are embarking on a large scale reform programme which will transform the model of service to a community-based model of person-centred care. In 2014, the HSE are taking a number of key steps in implementing the change programme including the reconfiguration of existing therapy resources for children with disabilities, including those with autism, to multi-disciplinary geographically based teams as part of its National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years).

An additional €4m ongoing funding has been allocated in 2014 as part of the agreed National Service Plan to drive the implementation of the National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People. The HSE has decided on the allocation of an additional 80 posts including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists. In addition during the remainder of the year, some funding from the allocation will be utilised on a targeted basis to tackle priority waiting lists at local ISA level, using capacity within the public, voluntary and private systems. This follows on the approval of an additional five posts in 2013 to enhance the service response.