Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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711. To ask the Minister for Health if he will clarify the way in which existing commitments such as publication of the Action Plan on foot of the Disability Capacity Review and the establishment of a Workforce Planning Group and Strategy for Disability will be progressed in relation to disability now that the transfer of disability functions from his Department to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has been delayed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51291/22]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Health Service Executive funded specialist community-based disability services are delivered to about 56,000 people or 9% of those with a disability. Policy functions and funding responsibility relating to specialist community-based disability services (SCBDS) will transfer to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (MCEDIY), and the responsibility for the delivery of these services will be retained within the Health Service Executive.

The Department of Health is committed to commencing the transfer as soon as possible.

While details pertaining to the transfer are being finalised, commitments currently residing with the Minister for Health, such as the Disability Action Plan, will be progressed as normal in the Department of Health until such time as the transfer of specialist disability function to Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in concluded. Following the of the transfer of functions, overall responsibility for workforce planning in health services will remain within the purview of the Department of Health, with appropriate co-operation and input from myself and the Department of Children, Equality, Integration and Youth with regard to disability services.