Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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157. To ask the Minister for Health if he is liaising with the Health Service Executive, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to address the urgently needed provision of 500,000 additional personal assistant hours for citizens with disabilities in budget 2016, given that the projected €45 million cost over three years would be greatly offset by freeing up bed space in hospitals and care institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33649/15]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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182. To ask the Minister for Health to support the funding of personal assistant services for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33778/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 182 together.

Work is currently underway in the Department of Health in relation to the preparation of budget estimates for 2016. As part of this process, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has submitted an estimate of its proposed expenditure for 2016, including health and personal social services for people with a disability. As discussions on budgetary issues are ongoing within the Department of Health, with the HSE and with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, I am not in a position to comment on the outcome of the process at this stage.