Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 May 1999

Vol. 504 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Personal Assistance Service.

Mrs. Owen:

I wish to raise the case of John, not his real name. John is a severely handicapped person who requires a personal assistant but cannot get one due to a long waiting list. Rather than retell John's case, I would like to read to the House this letter which I received from John indicating the conditions he is at present living in:

I live on my own and I am legally registered as a blind person. I am also physically disabled and have several chronic illnesses. I am on the long-term catheter-urinal bag for the rest of my life due to one of my chronic illnesses. I suffer from severe gout to all the joints in my body. I also suffer from severe arthritis in my legs due to several breakages. This also affects my back and neck area. I also suffer from a bowel disease called diverticulitis. I also have an irritable bowel syndrome. I also suffer from an acute chronic disease called porphyria, which affects my whole body and makes me ill at times. I also suffer from depression and I am on medication every day for this. I also have a hearing disorder, due to my time served in the Irish Army, for which I have not claimed.

I am alone for approximately 21 hours a day and this makes me feel very isolated. The only help I am getting at present is a home help for one hour three times daily. They cook and clean for me and the rest of the time I spend alone. Fingal County Council gave me this bungalow last September equipped with disabled friendly facilities and I am grateful to the council for this. It is a pity the health board could not do the same for me with regard to the personal assistants.

This man wants to live independently rather than in an institution. This will be his fate – at great cost to the State, more than the cost of personal assistance – if his plea is not answered.

It is inconceivable that this situation in which this person finds himself is allowed to continue today, when our economy is booming and tax revenue is up by £200 million in the first quarter of this year. How can I explain to this man that there is not enough money to pay for his assistants?

I call on the Minister to heed the pleas of this severely handicapped person and to assure me that two personal assistants will be appointed without any further delay.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt):

I welcome this opportunity to clarify the position on the provision of personal assistance services to people with physical disabilities. The relationship between the person with a disability and the personal assistant is an employee/employer type arrangement. It will be readily appreciated that not every person with a disability who might benefit from this service has the personal qualities necessary to successfully manage a personal assistant.

The provision of services to people with physical and sensory disabilities is a matter for the health boards. I have had inquiries made of the relevant health board and have been informed that the individual in question is already receiving a home help service on a daily basis and has recently been assessed for a home care attendant service which will be provided for a short period per week initially. I understand that, in addition, he is on a waiting list for assessment to establish whether he would be suitable for a personal assistant.

The overall thrust of the Government's policy on services for people with physical and sensory disabilities is to provide the supports necessary to enable them to live in the community with the maximum degree of independence possible for each individual. These services are being developed in line with the recommendations of the report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities, Towards an Independent Future, which was published in December 1996. This involves provision of a range of services such as respite care, day care, therapy services and home supports, including the personal assistance service. I am aware that all these services, including the personal assistance service, are in need of further development. The report of the review group sets out in detail the requirements for the maintenance and development of the services.

In developing the services, it is not feasible to isolate any particular service, such as the personal assistance service. The objective of policy is to develop the range of services as a whole, in accordance with the availability of funding.

Since this Government took office, a total of almost £37 million has been invested in the maintenance and development of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities. This year a total of £13.4 million is being provided, of which £3 million is for development. This sum of £3 million translates into a full year cost of £6 million in the year 2000. It is a matter for each health board to decide, in consultation with its local co-ordinating committee for physical and sensory disability services, on priorities for the allocation of this funding in its functional area. The development of personal assistance services is one of the priority areas to be considered in this process.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.30 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 6 May 1999.