Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2017
343. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding investment in supports for persons with disabilities and the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40491/17]
View answerThe Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
Funding of €1.69 billion was allocated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) for disability services in 2017. This represented an increased allocation of €130 million compared to the previous year. Funding in 2017 has supported the provision of a wide range of services to people with disabilities as follows:
|
Disability Services Programme: €1.69 billion 2017 |
Quantum of Services |
|
Residential services |
9,000 people |
|
Day services |
Over 22,000 people |
|
Respite residential support |
182,500 overnights |
|
Personal Assistant services |
1.4 million hours |
|
Home Support services |
2.75 million hours |
|
Move from institutions to homes in the community |
223 people |
In addition, 2017 has seen targeted improvements in a number of priority areas. These include the reconfiguration of disability residential services, supported by €20 million in capital funding and by the Service Reform Fund and improved compliance with National Standards for Residential Centres for Children and Adults with Disabilities.
As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2007 and since then, successive Governments have emphasised Ireland’s strong commitment to proceed to ratification as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are met. This Government remains committed to ratification of the Convention. Before the State can ratify the Convention however, enactment of new legislation and amendment of existing legislation is required to ensure obligations will be met upon entry into force for Ireland. The previous Government published a Roadmap in October 2015, which sets out the legislative measures needed to meet those requirements, along with declarations and reservations to be entered by Ireland on ratification. Considerable progress has already been made to overcome the remaining legislative barriers to Ireland's ratification of the Convention. The major issue at this stage is in relation to deprivation of liberty – in the case of persons in nursing homes for example, whose capacity to consent may be in doubt. This is a sensitive and important issue and we must get it right. Unfortunately, it is taking longer than expected to develop a proposal that is constitutionally sound and operationally effective and reasonable. This work is being led by the Department of Justice and Equality with the assistance of the Department of Health.
