Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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399. To ask the Minister for Health to outline his plans for funding disability services for the remainder of this Government's term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49061/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Government values the role which people with disabilities play in Irish society and is committed to facilitating the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the life of the community through access to individualised personal social supports and services.

The health service will spend almost €1.5 billion in 2015 on health and personal social services for people with disabilities, including:

- Residential services to over 9,000 people;

- Day services to over 22,000 people,

- Provision of new placements for approximately 1,400 young people who are due to leave school and Rehabilitative Training Programmes in 2015.

- Respite residential support totalling 190,000 overnights;

- 3.9 million hours of personal assistant/home support hours.

Additional funding is provided in the HSE's National Service Plan for 2015 to meet unavoidable cost pressures in the following areas:

- 2015 day places for school leavers: €12m full years costs with €6m relevant to 2015;

- Expansion of therapy services for 0-18 year olds: €6m full year costs with €4m relevant to 2015;

- Pay and general cost pressures within disability services: €6.5m pay and €3.5m general costs.

Further details will be available in the 2015 National Operation Plan for the HSE's Social Care Directorate, which is currently in preparation.

It is not possible to comment on funding for disability services in 2016 in advance of the completion of the Estimates cycle for 2016.