Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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393. To ask the Minister for Health if discrepancies in supply versus demand for adult places in autism services have now been rectified; if they will recur in 2016 and in coming years; his plans that are in place to ensure that there are sufficient services to meet the numbers of school leavers with disorders on the autism spectrum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40304/15]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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394. To ask the Minister for Health if there is a waiting list to access Gheel's adult school leaver services; the available services for such a client base in the Dublin local health office areas; the number of places available in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40305/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 and 394 together.

Government policy is to enable young people with disabilities to develop the skills they will need to live independent lives to the greatest extent possible, and to receive the supports they need in order to achieve this. Additional funding of €12 million, was allocated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to meet the needs of almost 1,400 young people who required continuing health-funded supports on leaving school or rehabilitative training (RT) this year, of which €6 million was made available to provide services from September.

Finding the resources and the physical capacity to meet the needs of a growing number of new service users every year is a challenging task. When this year’s support requirements were identified, the cost of meeting those needs in full exceeded the amount available and an additional €1.5 million was added by the HSE to the overall allocation, making a total of €13.5 million full-year costs available to meet those needs. A further €1.5 million once-off capital funding was also allocated by the HSE for the provision of suitable buildings, premises and accommodation.

I understand from the HSE that by early July, 97% of all school-leavers in Community Healthcare Area 9 had been offered a placement from September which met their needs in full. In relation to the individuals that had applied for a service from Gheel Autism Services, the HSE indicated that there would be an allocation of €708,000 made available to Gheel to provide the model of day service that they had developed and once off capital funding of €80,000. However, following extensive negotiations with Gheel, it was established that services for these individuals could not be delivered by Gheel within this allocation.

Following these negotiations, the HSE initiated discussions with two alternative service providers, Praxis Care and Autism Initiatives, who already provide quality day services to young people with autism. These providers have agreed to develop appropriate service responses for 21 young people. Of these 21, two individuals have recently commenced with Praxis. Home support services are being made available to the remaining 19 individuals as an interim arrangement and I understand from the HSE, that their new service will be in place by the end of March 2016 at the latest.

A meeting of the HSE's National Project Group to plan for next years school-leavers and RT graduates will take place during November. At this meeting, the process for 2016 will be drafted for discussion with the HSE’s Head of Operations and Service Improvement.

In relation to the other operational aspects of the Deputy's questions, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy. 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 the matter up with the HSE.