Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - Independent Living Fund.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

170 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Health the current situation in relation to the establishment of an independent living fund taking on board the report from the Review Group on Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities. [15386/96]

Brendan Smith

Question:

201 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health if he will establish an independent living fund as requested by the Independent Living Movement in Ireland and as recommended in the advisory group report to his Department; if he will give the request urgent and favourable consideration in view of the importance of the provision of a personal assistant service for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15613/96]

Helen Keogh

Question:

261 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Health the representations, if any, he has received from INCARE, the Centre for Independent Living Limited, in relation to personal assistants; if so, the response, if any, he has made to that organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12004/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 170, 201 and 261 together.

The establishment of an independent living fund has been proposed to me by the Centre for Independent Living as a means of funding a personal assistant service to enable people with disabilities to live independently in the community. The development of a personal assistant service was examined by the advisory group on personal assistance. While it did not recommend the establishment of an independent living fund, it recommended that funding of a personal assistant service should be considered in the context of the development of support services generally for people with disabilities. I have informed the centre that this issue is being addressed by the Review Group on Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities whose report is expected very shortly at which time I will make a decision about the personal assistant scheme as part of my overall decision on the appropriate development of support services for people with disabilities.