Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 February 2014
8. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health the progress in implementing the new policy system to empower persons with a disability or their families to choose educational options, particularly post graduation from secondary level and in consideration of the serious and distressing delays experienced in summer and autumn of 2013 and previous years. [6851/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Minister the progress on implementing the new policy to empower persons with disabilities or their families to choose educational options, particularly post-graduation from school.
This is good news but unfortunately the issue does not get much publicity or air time. I share the Deputy's concern about issues in recent years relating to the provision of day services and training places to young people with disabilities leaving school. For that reason, I asked the Health Service Executive to put new structures in place to ensure available places are identified as early as possible and a more effective communications process is put in place with young people and their families. The placement of 850 school leavers and 482 rehabilitative or life-skills training graduates last year, within limited resources, was a significant achievement by the HSE and the service providers. My colleague, the Minister for Health, advised the HSE that priority was to be given in the 2014 national service plan to the provision of new services for school leavers requiring specific supports. Accordingly, an additional €7 million has been earmarked to address priority needs for new places for school leavers and for those graduating from rehabilitative or life-skills training.
The HSE established a national oversight group in October last year that includes umbrella organisations representing disability agencies.
The group identified the need for a new centralised regional application process and arrangements for implementing the new process are in train. The HSE is liaising with disability agencies and the National Council for Special Education to supply the necessary information on this process to families. The deadline for applications was 1 February, however, some flexibility will be give as the application process is in its first year. Supports required for each individual will be identified and agreed and a communications process with all stakeholders will be put in place by the end of March. Young people and their parents will be advised by the end of June 2014 of the placement which will be available to them.
We made the argument this happens every year and should come as no surprise so we needed to plan for it, which is exactly what we did.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply and I compliment her on the new initiative. I appreciate we discussed this in the House in 2012 and 2013, particularly with regard to my area of Galway, and there were inordinate delays in those years. All parents and children are now satisfied they have a place but unfortunately it was protracted. It was September or early October before some children were sorted in Galway. I am confident the new initiative will rectify this. I also welcome the additional funding and decentralised registration process. Is the Minister of State confident that by June all parents will know what will be available for their children?
This is the first year and there will always be little hiccups in the initial stages. I am confident even if we do not reach the deadline in March or June it will be a far more stable process and people will be reassured their loved ones, and in some instances they are not children, will have an appropriate place in June, July, August and September. We decided if these people were to apply for third level courses they would do so at this time of the year or late last year. It is about knowing what is coming down the track and the needs of the individual, and ensuring these needs are met. I am very confident not alone this year but in coming years the system will work well and the uncertainty which existed in the past will be removed.
I am very hopeful about the new system and I am sure it goes without saying the Minister of State will continue to liaise with the national oversight group to ensure we make progress and families are not put through the same stress as they were in other years.
