Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 February 2022
152. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Health the services that will be included as special disability community-based services which will be transferred to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; the mainstream health services that will be delivered to persons with disabilities under his Department as per the health (miscellaneous provisions) Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6920/22]
View answerAbout one in seven people in Ireland, circa 650,000, self-reported as having a disability in Census 2016. In line with the ‘mainstream first’ approach of the Disability Act 2005, over 90% of people with a disability are supported through general community health and social services. Health Service Executive funded specialist community-based disability services are delivered to about 56,000 people or 9% of those with a disability. Policy functions and funding responsibility relating to specialist community-based disability services will transfer to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the responsibility for the delivery of these services will be retained within the Health Service Executive. The changed arrangements will not affect access to and delivery of specialist disability services on the ground. However, the assignment of policy and funding responsibility for disability services will enable a particular Ministerial focus on this area, in the context of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, for which the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth co-ordinates the national response.
Specialist community-based disability services include the services provided by, or on behalf of, the HSE to children and adults with physical, sensory, intellectual disability and/or autism, including:
- Specialist children’s and adults’ multi-disciplinary supports
- Day services
- Respite services
- Personal Assistant and Home Support Services and
- Residential services
Mental health services are remaining under the auspices of my Department.
The Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will be published shortly. The transfer of functions will be provided for by way of secondary legislation under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, and statutory instruments have been drafted to effect the transfer. The Bill is a technical Bill assigning appropriate governance and oversight powers to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of the policy areas transferring.
Where practicable and appropriate, under the Disability Act 2005 (Section 26) persons with a disability will continue to access mainstream services such as GP, dental services and acute hospital services, while people with complex needs who so require will continue to be supported through specialist community-based disability supports and services. Policy and political responsibility for mainstream health services (including those delivered to people with disabilities) and for mental health services, will continue to lie with my Department.
