Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1379. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to deal with the recent announcement by St. John of God Community Services that it will be withdrawing from the provision of disability services over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31342/20]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The primary concern of the Minister for Health is to ensure the continuity of supports and services for people with disabilities and their families.

As the Deputy will be aware, specialist disability services are provided by a range of organisations. In some cases the HSE itself delivers these services directly and in other circumstances, the HSE relies upon funded providers to deliver these services.

Organisations such as St John of God Community Services provide services for people with a disability on behalf of the HSE, on a contract for services basis, underpinned by Section 38 of the Health Act 2004. Service Level Agreements are set out between the HSE and the individual organisations.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.