I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 210 together.
The Health Service Executive National Service Plan for 2012 sets out a reduction of 3.7% in funding to disability services. However the Service Plan states that at least 2% of this should not impact on services and needs to be generated from other savings and increased efficiencies. The HSE aims to minimize the impact of the 3.7% cut on service users and their families as much as possible. In this context and as part of the ongoing collaborative work of the National Consultative Forum on Disability, a number of representative organisations and some of their membership have already met to begin a process with the HSE to identify and agree a framework for addressing efficiencies, with minimal impact on front-line services. The HSE will endeavour to ensure that residential, day, respite and personal assistant services are protected where possible from reductions in front-line services.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides a range of assisted living services, including Personal Assistant service to support individuals to maximise their capacity to live full and independent lives. In 2011, a total of 1.68 million personal assistant / home support hours were provided to 11,571 persons with physical and/or sensory disability. With regard to personal assistant / home support hours, service efficiencies will be achieved through a process of negotiation with service providers around the unit cost of providing the service, rather than reducing the number of PA hours.
As the Deputies questions relate to service matters I have arranged for that part of each question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy.