Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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34. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to increase the number of personal assistant hours for persons with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13824/16]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.

With regard to assisted living services, the Health Service Executive's priority in the 2016 National Service Plan is to protect the level of services provided in 2015 and to provide 1.3 million hours of Personal Assistant services to 2,000 people with a physical/sensory disability and 2.6 million hours of Home Support to 7,300 people with a range of disabilities. The provision of Personal Assistant services has an annual cost of €30 million, with an annual cost of €52 million for Home Support services.

Personal Assistant hours are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the service is at all times responsive to clients needs and that the hours available are allocated appropriately and in a timely manner. In 2015, the HSE exceeded the expected activity level for Personal Assistant hours by approximately 100,000 hours. This reflects the responsive nature of the service provided and takes account of the fluctuation of assessed need over time. The need for increased Personal Assistant services is acknowledged and the HSE continues to explore various ways of responding effectively to this need from available resources.