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Disability Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Questions (1527, 1528)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

1527. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to allocating people with disabilities a personal budget to access therapies similar to the model operated in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19941/22]

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Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

1528. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health if his Department has received a report on the pilot personalised budget for persons with a disability; if this measure will be acted on and expanded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19942/22]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1527 and 1528 together.

The Personalised Budget Pilot is ongoing. There are currently 132 participants at various stages of onboarding, including 24 who have completed each of the stages and are in receipt of a Personalised Budget.

The pilot is running behind schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the closure of services and has made it difficult to recruit staff for the HSE team. COVID-19 restrictions also severely impacted the HSE’s ability to meet with individuals to progress their applications.

A Personalised Budget is an amount of funding for an eligible person with a disability so that the individual can make their own arrangements to meet specified support needs. This is instead of having their needs met directly for them by the State.

The report of the Task Force on Personalised Budgets was launched by Minister McGrath in July 2018. The report set out how Personalised Budgets could work as a funding mechanism for people with a disability. Personalised Budgets can help to provide people with disabilities with greater choice and control over the services and supports they receive.

The Task Force reviewed national and international research and consulted with service users and their families. They recommended that the Department of Health, with the HSE, should establish a pilot project to test the delivery of personalised budgets - the aim being to identify the best approach to roll-out Personalised Budgets following this pilot phase

Funding can be spent on specific personal supports funded by the HSE such as employing your own support worker or having support staff at a time you choose. These supports are agreed and identified in a personal support plan for each participant.

Funding cannot be spent on informal care from a partner or close relative or to pay for supports that would normally be provided by another Government Department or Statutory Agency, e.g. housing.

It is hoped that the pilot will have up to 180 participants over two phases who access a wide range of HSE funded services including residential, rehabilitative training, personal assistance and day services.

Question No. 1528 answered with Question No. 1527.
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