Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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389. To ask the Minister for Health the length of time and the number of persons with intellectual disabilities currently waiting in County Louth for permanent residential placements; if a provision has been made within budget 2017 in regard to these placements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31482/16]

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 Government currently provides funding of €1.56 billion to the Disability Services Programme. Budget 2017 includes an increased allocation to the Disability Services Programme to address a number of key priorities in the Programme for Partnership Government. Including the additional funding of €31m secured earlier this year, the allocation for disability services will rise to over €1.654bn in 2017, an increase of €92 million on the Budget 2016 allocation.

As the particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE, I have arranged for the question to be referred to HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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390. To ask the Minister for Health the number of persons with intellectual disabilities waiting for speech and language therapy in Counties Louth and Meath for the years 2015 and 2016; if the numbers are already included in the previous reply to Parliamentary Question No. 1173 of 16 September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31483/16]

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 particular issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter for the HSE. Accordingly I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy.