Seanad Éireann debate -
Friday, 10 Dec 2004

Vol. 178 No. 26

Adjournment Matter.

Services for People with Disabilities

Ms White

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to deal with this matter. In 2001 the Department of Health and Children, in conjunction with the Disability Federation of Ireland, provided funding known as the Harmon fund for six disability organisations in the physical and sensory section for the resourcing of voluntary sector service provides. The six disability organisations involved are Brainwave, Headway Ireland, the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland and Muscular Dystrophy Ireland. These organisations formed and grew with the effort of spirited and passionate volunteers. These organisations have not taken liberties with banks or statutory bodies, but have grown and survived on their ingenuity and superhuman efforts to raise voluntarily funds. They immediately need their funding to be brought to today's level of requirement to continue providing the essential services developed over the past two years.

The Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus is seeking a modest increase of €128,000 for a high priority disability service. This would reap great benefit to its 1,400 members with spina bifida, 500 of whom are in Dublin. The moneys set aside for disabilities by the Minister for Finance in the recent budget are extraordinary. Everyone now realises the Government is serious about funding for disabilities and those with disabilities are as entitled to equal treatment as full-bodied people. The Minister for Finance has allocated €2.8 billion for services for people with disabilities. From that allocation, 1.2 million extra hours of home support and personal assistance provided for persons with physical or sensory disabilities will be provided. Those born with spina bifida need intimate personal support and back-up to help them with their disability. Bowel and bladder incontinence are intimate and delicate matters. These people urgently require a one-to-one service.

A good friend of mine has a daughter with spina bifida but due to her efforts, her daughter has a tremendous job in Fingal County Council. When I entered the Seanad I was asked to speak on behalf of the spina bifida organisations. Last year I asked for extra resources but did not succeed. However, now with the €2.8 billion allocation for services for people with disabilities, it must be possible for a grant of €128,000 to be made to the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus to provide people with home help.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. S. Power)

I am pleased to take this opportunity to clarify the provision of funding for the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

The provision of health-related services for people with disabilities, physical, sensory or intellectual, and for those with autism is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. Since 1997, the Department of Health and Children has allocated significant levels of funding across the disability sector, resulting in substantial advances in the quality and quantity of health-related services provided to people with disabilities. Funding of non-statutory organisations providing services for people with disabilities, is primarily a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and health boards. Priorities for the allocation of funding available for the development of health-related services are decided by the health boards in consultation with the regional co-ordinating committees for physical and sensory disabilities. Voluntary sector service providers, including the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, and advocates for people with disabilities are represented on these committees.

The national disability strategy provides an opportunity to identify priorities in the services for people with disabilities. It is a framework of positive action measures to support participation by people with disabilities in Irish society. Four elements of the strategy are the Disability Bill 2004, the Comhairle (Amendment) Bill 2004, the six outline sectoral plans and a commitment to a multiannual investment programme for disability support services. The Department recently published an outline sectoral plan for the specific health and personal social services provided for people with disabilities. This interim plan is designed to encompass a programme of work to be undertaken over the next 12 to 18 months. The main aspects of the programme are related to the provisions contained in the Disability Bill 2004, together with a strategic review of overall services. The review will examine the significant level of service provision already in place, focusing on specific issues of concern to people with disabilities, their families and carers, together with statutory and voluntary bodies in this area, with an opportunity to input into the planning and delivery of services over the coming years.

Services to people with intellectual, physical or sensory disabilities and those with autism is one of the limited number of areas in which additional revenue funding has been provided by the Government in all Departments over 2003 and 2004. It is recognised that the health-funded services in this sector have advanced greatly over the last several years. However, it is acknowledged that further work is required in the coming years.

To that end I am pleased that the Government was in a position to announce on budget day a special disability multiannual funding package with a total value of close to €900 million over the years 2006 to 2009. This funding is being dedicated now for the period until 2009, so as to ensure the delivery of these high priority disability services. This package includes guaranteed additional current spending of almost €600 million. The Government has also agreed to allocate €300 million out of the revised capital envelope to these high-priority disability services.

The bulk of the new funding package will go to the health sector where it will be invested in services for persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism, services for persons with physical or sensory disabilities and mental health services. It will focus, in particular, on the provision of extra residential, respite and day places, extra home support and personal assistance, and extra places in community-based mental health facilities. The above measures will assist the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus in maintaining its existing level of services.

The Seanad adjourned at 4.30 p.m. until11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 14 December 2004.