Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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621. To ask the Minister for Health the status of respite services at St. John of God's St. Mary's centre, Drumcar, County Louth; if St. Mary's currently provides respite services; if it will maintain respite services over the summer period; the funding the Health Service Executive allocated to St. Mary's to provide respite services in each of the years 2011 to date; if and why respite services have been cancelled before at St. Mary's, Drumcar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21298/16]

Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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This Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide them with 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.

The Programme for Partnership Government commits to more respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.

I am acutely aware of the changing needs of people with disabilities and understand that many people require additional or alternative services.

St. Mary's, Drumcar, is a significant provider of disability services in the Dublin North East Area and is part of St John of God Services funded by the HSE under Section 38 of the Health Act. In 2010 St John of God North East Services amalgamated their adult and children’s respite thereby reducing the capacity of respite provision in Saint Mary’s, Drumcar. The respite provision is now three weeks for adults and one week for children.

The emerging residential need in the absence of residential development funding over the past number of years is acknowledged by the HSE as a challenge for all services providing support to clients with a disability. Recognising this, I recently announced an additional €31m funding for people with disabilities, of which €3 million is ear-marked for new initiatives, including the anticipated cost of a number of emergency residential placements arising this year.

As there are specific issues in the Deputy's question that relate to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (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.