Written answers

Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Department of Health

Services for People with Disabilities

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Health the reason there are no crisis intervention beds available for adults with an intellectual disability in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15859/15]

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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100. To ask the Minister for Health if the Health Service Executive will reverse the cuts to the Daughters of Charity budget; the reason respite provision for children and adults with an intellectual disability has been reduced and sidelined in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15860/15]

Photo of Kathleen LynchKathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together.

The Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015.

The HSE works with voluntary disability service providers to ensure that available resources are used in order to be responsive to the health and personal social services needs of people with a disability.

In 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist disability services:

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

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

- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;

- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.

In order to maintain current service levels while supporting people with disabilities to achieve their full potential, including living as independently as possible, a significant change programme involving a realignment and reconfiguration of existing resources is being undertaken by the HSE. The reconfiguration will be in line with the recommendations in the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services and will see new and sustainable models of service being implemented to meet the changing needs of service users, increased demographic pressures and individuals wish for more choice and control.

In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy, as these are service issues, they have been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with the HSE.

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