Terence Flanagan
Question:387. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the status of funding for an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40268/15]
View answerTuesday, 17 November 2015
Questions (387)
Written answers
The Government is committed to protecting frontline health and personal social services needs for people with disabilities. The Government currently provides funding of approximately €1.5 billion to the Disability Services Programme through the Health Service Executive's National Service Plan for 2015.
In 2015, the HSE is seeking to maximise the provision of services within available resources and to maintaining a consistent level to that provided in 2014, by providing the following specialist disability services:
- residential services to around 9,000 people with a disability;
- day services to over 22,000 people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- respite residential support of 190,000 overnights for people with intellectual and physical disabilities;
- 3.9 million hours of Personal Assistant / Home Support Hours.
Additional funding of €6 million has been allocated in the HSE National Service Plan in 2015 to provide day places for an estimated 1,400 young people finishing school and rehabilitative (life-skills) training. €4m in additional funding has also been allocated in the Plan to deliver an increase in the services for children with disabilities and reduce waiting lists under the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18s) Programme.
I have been informed that the HSE is acutely aware of the resource shortfall presented by Camphill and is currently engaging with them to develop an agreed set of proposals to resolve the challenges over an agreed period of time. This includes a commitment to supporting the organisation to reconfigure the current model of service and funding arrangements to a more sustainable model while still maintaining the particular ethos of the service.
I understand that as part of this process of engagement, the HSE requested Camphill to consider how its model of service provision may change over the coming years as Disability Services are reformed. The HSE will work closely with Camphill to shape a five year plan to secure the additional resources required to ensure the future of the organisation in a sustainable way.
I have been assured by the HSE that it will continue to work with Camphill and be as supportive as possible within current financial constraints.