Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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121. To ask the Minister for Health his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding Gheel disability services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43073/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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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 in early July 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 during July and August, it was established that services for these individuals could not be delivered by Gheel within this allocation and that Gheel would not be a provider of services for these young people.

Following these negotiations, the HSE initiated discussions in August 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.

Each Local Health Office area in the HSE has a dedicated Disability Manager to coordinate the delivery of services to people with disabilities. It is open to this family to pursue the matter with the Disability Manager for their area who can be contacted at the HSE offices, Fujitsu House, Unit 100, 4th Floor, Lakeshore Drive, Airside Business Park, Swords, Co. Dublin, telephone 01-8953727.