Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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435. To ask the Minister for Health if he has secured additional funding for more residential care units; if so, the regions that will benefit from the additional units; and to supply a comparative list of number of persons with intellectual disabilities who are waiting for residential care placements, by county. [17196/16]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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The HSE’s report “Time to Move on from Congregated Settings – A Strategy for Community Inclusion”,(2011) proposes a new model of support in the community by moving people from institutional settings to the community. The plan is being rolled out at a regional and local level and involves full consultation with stakeholders.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to continue to move people with disabilities out of congregated settings, to enable them to live independently and to be included in the community. Currently, 2725 people live in congregated settings and our objective is to reduce this figure by one-third by 2021 and ultimately, to eliminate all congregated settings.

The HSE has established a subgroup, under ‘Transforming Lives’,the Programme to implement the recommendations of the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services, which is developing an implementation plan for moving people from institutions. I welcome the fact that the needs of people moving from congregated settings will be fully taken into account during this process as the model of care for individuals will be based on a person centred plan.

In terms of housing, the Department of Health and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government are working in collaboration to support the transition of people with a disability from institutions to social housing in the community under the Government'sNational Housing Strategy for People with Disability 2011 to 2016.

The HSE's 2016 National Service Plan has set a target of 165 people to move from institutions in 2016 into suitable accommodation. This is being supported by €20 million in capital funding from the Department of Health in respect of acquiring and renovating properties in priority institutions identified by the HSE.

In addition, I am pleased to note that the Department of the Environment will provide €10 million under the Capital Assistance Scheme to provide suitable accommodation for people transitioning from institutions in 2016. The HSE estimate that a further 100 people could benefit from this initiative. €1 million in ring-fenced leasing funding is also being made available by the Department of the Environment in 2016 to support people moving from institutions into suitable social housing in the community. This demonstrates the joined up commitment of both Departments to support the de-congregation programme.

The HSE has developed a three strand approach to accelerate transitions from institutions in the period 2016-2021, with a target of 900 people to move to more suitable accommodation in this period.

- Strand 1- is focussed on large institutional settings at high risk of not meeting HIQA Standards;

- Strand 2- is focussed on moving people into suitable social housing in the community through the Department of Environment schemes; and

- Strand 3- is focussed on remaining service users in congregated settings who could move to suitable accommodation.

Furthermore, underlining this Government's commitment to the disability sector, I recently announced the provision of additional funding of €3m in 2016 for new initiatives, including an additional provision for services to meet the need of school leavers with disabilities and the anticipated cost of a number of emergency residential placements arising this year.

These emergency residential placements are intended to support individuals and families in crisis situations where their existing accommodation is no longer suitable.

As the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive 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 up the matter with the HSE.