Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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80. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for a national respite strategy to help those caring for persons with very profound disabilities. [20961/16]

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.

The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.

Respite care for children and adults with disabilities is provided by the HSE directly in some instances, or by agencies funded by the HSE to provide services on its behalf. In many instances respite services are part of the overall suite of services provided by voluntary service providers to people with disabilities under their service level agreements with the HSE. The HSE remains committed to working with all voluntary disability service providers to ensure that all of the resources available for specialist disability services, including respite services, are used in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

The HSE’s Social Care Operational Plan for 2016 aims to provide 180,000 overnight stays in centre-based respite services to circa 5,300 people. The HSE is also committed to continuing to explore methods of community respite care as an alternative to centre-based respite care, including advancing the Host Family Support Model.

Agencies which provide centre-based respite care are subject to inspection by HIQA under the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children And Adults) With Disabilities) Regulations 2013, Health Act 2007 (Registration of Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 and the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities.

Compliance with HIQA standards is a requirement under the Service Level Arrangements (SLA) between the HSE and voluntary service providers in the disability sector, including providers of respite services. The introduction of registration and inspection represents a significant advance in terms of delivering consistent and high quality services for people with disabilities in centre-based respite services.

I do not have any plans to introduce a national respite strategy in the immediate future.