Written answers
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Disability Services
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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1154. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what action his Department is taking to ensure a standardised rate of pay for the different types of home and community care providers, given that disability home support is not operated under an authorisation scheme, which indicates that providers of disability support are paid less than those who are providers of elderly home support, wherein these providers are not guaranteed the living wage or travel time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12459/24]
Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The HSE provides a range of assisted living services including Home Support Services (HSS) to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives.
Home Support Services are provided either directly by the HSE or indirectly through a range of voluntary and private service providers. The majority of specialised disability provision (80%) is delivered through non-statutory sector service providers.
Home support services are provided to both children and adults with a wide range of disabilities from physical and sensory disabilities to intellectual disabilities and autism. The home support service for children with disabilities assists the child with various activities and supports the parent/family. Over 3 million home support hours are delivered to almost 7,200 people annually.
The Action Plan for Disability Services 2024-2026, published by my Department in December, commits to the delivery of 110,000 additional Home Support hours between 2024 and 2026 to address shortfalls in services and to support people with disabilities live at home, in line with Article 19 UNCRPD.
In 2023, a new HSE Authorisation Scheme for Home Support Services for Older Persons was finalised. A new HSE-led Disability Services procurement framework for Home Support is planned to be developed and agreed in Q2 2024. As this procurement process is at the development stage, it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment at present.
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