Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
387. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the status of and position regarding the restoration of full-time disability day services; when these services will resume a five-day week service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40503/20]
View answerAll day service locations with the exception of those being utilised as COVID-19 Isolation or testing centres have reopened since August.
There are currently 7 day service locations nationally that are being used for COVID-19 isolation or testing centres: one in CHO1; two in CHO2; one in CHO3 and three in CHO9.
Service users that usually received their supports from these locations are now either receiving supports at another location or receiving outreach or home-based supports. A further location will resume as a day service location in the coming weeks as an alternative COVID-19 test facility has been procured.
Day services re-opened at 39% capacity throughout August and early September. For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency day service capacity is reduced, this is due to the physical limitations of the buildings available, the lack of mainstream community activities, and the continued restrictions imposed by social distancing guidance. Many people with disabilities have underlying health conditions, and as the threat of COVID-19 remains, unfortunately so too does the need for these restrictions.
In September, Minister Donnelly and I announced that €7.5 million is being made available in 2020 to increase disability day services by one day a week for 14,940 adults. I also secured funding under the Budget to maintain this increase in 2021.
The funding will be used to augment staffing levels so that adults that currently live at home with their families will receive an average of an additional day of service at a day service location over and above what they have been receiving since day services resumed in August. Chief Officers were asked to immediately progress plans with the service provider sector to expedite the recruitment of the staff in this regard.
