Children with physical and sensory disabilities need all the supports that are humanly possible to be made available to them so they can have as independent a life as possible. Volumes of research show that children who receive intervention as early as possible benefit enormously from it.
The Irish Wheelchair Association administers a personal assistant scheme using a person-centred approach. It has pioneered the way the service is meant to be delivered. It connects with each individual and has a direct input into his or her needs and assessments.
There is no need for me to outline the considerable benefits that have accrued for children with intellectual, sensory or physical disabilities because of their having personal assistants. Unfortunately, however, there are many children who are not receiving this vital support. I am sure the Tánaiste and every other Deputy has had to fight for services, such as personal assistants, for children with special needs in preschools, national schools and secondary schools.
The maximum number of hours allowed through the Irish Wheelchair Association is four to six hours. This is absolutely inadequate. The programme for Government refers at length to commitments to improving the lives of people with disabilities, and it goes through all that should be done to help them. The HSE’s plan for 2016 alone contains a target of 1.3 million hours. This compares with 1.4 million actual hours in 2015. Therefore, before we start at all, there has been a reduction in the service by 100,000 personal assistant hours, despite the constant growth in the number of children who need personal assistants. It is grossly hypocritical to include a commitment in the programme for Government to having better supports and access for those with disabilities, particularly children, if the number of hours referred to in the 2016 plan is lower than the number granted in 2015. The Government has given various commitments in this regard. I challenge it to consider very seriously the provision of personal assistants, particularly through the Irish Wheelchair Association. I have encountered many cases throughout my constituency of families seeking supports, as has every other Deputy.
It is hypocritical to claim the Government is seeking to improve the lives of people with disabilities through better access to supports and increased independence when the number of personal assistance hours has been cut this year. Will the Tánaiste confirm that these cuts will be reversed and the allocation of personal assistance hours will be dramatically increased in 2017?
Children starting preschool education and primary school are being allocated four or six hours of personal assistance. If this figure were increased to eight or nine hours, it would give them a major boost as they face the challenges of the future. I ask the Tánaiste to acknowledge that services have been cut this year, confirm that they will be reversed and recognise that the Irish Wheelchair Association must be shown greater flexibility in providing additional hours to children who require them at preschool and primary level.