Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
1220. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health if a multiannual funding package will be introduced to address residential and respite waiting lists to assist those who qualify but cannot access care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20196/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraDisability services focus on enabling people with disabilities to achieve their full potential, living ordinary lives in ordinary places, as independently as possible while ensuring that the voices of service users and their families are heard, and that they are fully involved in planning and improving services to meet their needs. To support people with a disability, significant resources have been invested by the health sector in disability services over the past number of years.
The 2020 disability budget is €2054.5m. This represents an increase of €138.7m (7.2%) on the 2019 budget (€1915.8m). Additional funding in the 2020 budget is targeted as follows:
- €16.0m for the full year impact of new service developments commenced in 2019;
- €54.9m to maintain existing service levels and respond to demographic and other pressures;
- €37.3m for pay rate funding;
- €25.5m to enhance and expand existing services and for new service developments in 2020 comprising €6m for disability needs assessment, €12.5m for school leavers, €2m for the autism plan and €5m for enhanced support packages.
- €1m to support the provision of an additional 40,000 personal assistance hours during 2020 and €4m to enable the provision of additional emergency residential placements over the course of the year.
While there is no qualifying criteria, Disability services are provided based on priority need. Residential services continued doing the outbreak of COVID 19, however, day and respite service did stop except for emergency situations. HSE is now working with service providers to reopen services in a safe manner. Across the Disability Sector there is a commitment to continue the Reform of disability services (commenced in 2014) under a range of established programmes under Transforming Lives, including Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People, New Direction Day Services and Time to Move on from Congregated Settings.
Separately, the Sláintecare Implementation Strategy also commits to reforming the funding system to support new models of care and drive value to make better use of resources across the health services. Department of Health officials are currently examining the feasibility of introducing a multi-annual budgeting process including examination of international best practice in relation to the implementation of multi-annual budgeting in healthcare systems.
