I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 225, inclusive, together.
The Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with disabilities which will empower them to live independent lives, provide greater independence in accessing the services they choose and enhance their ability to tailor the supports required to meet their needs and plan their lives. This commitment is outlined in the Programme for Partnership Government, which is guided by two principles: equality of opportunity and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
The Programme for Partnership Government states that the Government wishes to provide more accessible respite care to facilitate full support for people with a disability.
The Health Service Executive, HSE, report “Time to Move on from Congregated Settings – A Strategy for Community Inclusion”, (2011) proposes a new model of support in the community by moving people from institutional settings to the community. The plan is being rolled out at a regional and local level and involves full consultation with stakeholders.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to continue to move people with disabilities out of congregated settings, to enable them to live independently and to be included in the community. In May 2016, 2725 people lived in congregated settings and our objective is to reduce this figure by one-third by 2021 and ultimately, to eliminate all congregated settings.
The HSE has established a subgroup, under ‘Transforming Lives’, the programme to implement the recommendations of the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services, which is developing an implementation plan for moving people from institutions. The needs of people moving from congregated settings will be fully taken into account during this process as the model of care for individuals will be based on a person-centred plan.
At the end of December 2016, fewer than 2,600 people with a disability were living in congregated settings. The HSE's 2017 National Service Plan has set a target of 223 to move from institutions in 2017. This will ensure that people are able to move out of congregated settings, and into their own homes in the community. I must emphasise that the appropriate supports and resources are being put in place to ensure that people are supported as they move out of residential centres.
As the HSE is responsible for leading out on the recommendations on "Time to Move on from Congregated Settings - A Strategy for Community Inclusion", and the Deputy's questions relate to service matters, I have arranged for the questions to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.
