It is from the Department, thanks to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. We play an important role. It is also important to inform the House that in recent weeks, we signed an agreement with the WHO, which has given us a lever into the next five years of assistive technology and looking at best practices, new models and how we can partner with a larger grouping to see where the best models for intervention are available in assistive technologies. If the Deputy has other suggestions, I would love to sit down and discuss …

The HSE, either directly or indirectly through a range of voluntary and private service providers, provides a range of assisted living services including PA and home support services. Some 80% of specialised disability provision is delivered through non-statutory sector service providers. PA services provide one-to-one support to people with physical disabilities in their homes and communities by trained, professional personal assistants. The PA service facilitates a person’s independence, improves their quality of…

With regard to the individual case the Deputy mentioned, officials in the Department have contacted the HSE and a response will issue to her in due course. It is being dealt with, therefore. There is no doubt we do not have enough PA hours or personal assistants to provide them. Nevertheless, as part of the transfer of function, this was one of the issues on which we were able to shine a spotlight. PA hours had been muddied in with home support and we had to untangle that. PA and home support are two completely dif…

Absolutely. On the reform of PA hours, even though we are spending so much on PAs, at in excess of €60 million on PA support, we do not have it underpinned with a proper framework, so work is ongoing in that regard and we are engaging with stakeholders on the review while, at the same time, ensuring we do not stop the delivery of hours or the roll-out. We are also looking to see what other countries are doing when it comes to PA support, because it can give people back their independence and the life they may have …

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. It is a little bit like Cinderella at this hour, 12 midnight, and Deputy O'Sullivan appears. To be honest, we normally never get to deal with this number of questions. It is the first time we have done it, so I am answering this one totally unscripted. Luckily, I was at the committee today and I do remember what was said to his question. Thanks to the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, who is here beside me, the Cabinet approved and ring-fenced €6.8 million, w…

Deputy O'Sullivan is right. We managed to clear the backlog with the funding that was sourced in 2020 when we had 6,500 children waiting for an assessment of need. It took us approximately 14 months to clear the entire backlog. Why have we found ourselves here again? We have found ourselves here again because of the soft model, which is the standard operational procedure, SOP, which meant that 10,000 children were deemed to have a right to access an assessment of need in its entirety. The assessment of need does no…

This is a new concept I was not completely aware of, namely, that we have 63 specific speech and language disorder, SSLD, classes in the country, which are speech and language classes for children with very set criteria who have verbal dyspraxia. There are seven in a class with the lead teacher and a speech and language therapist. They know that with regular daily intervention over a two-year programme, the child's speech can come on. There is no doubt that is the case. The clinical outcomes of the classes are incr…

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan very much. I have no doubt, given he is a Cork TD, that the introduction of therapists to special schools is primarily focused on Cork schools. To be honest with him, a comprehensive submission has been made in recent days by David Walsh and Bernard O'Regan. Officials in the Department have been meeting with the CEO of the HSE to address the introduction of the pilot scheme that would be required for the 14 special schools in the Cork area. One of the concerns was where the governance for …

In relation to special schools, this has now been going on for in excess of two years. It was in May 2021 that we placed a pause on the removal of therapists from special schools. We then sourced our secure funding for 86 therapists to be replaced into schools. Overall, we secured funding for 221 therapists, and only 126 have been returned. When I say “returned”, I mean that they were returned to special schools and that they are part and parcel of their local CDNT team. We have had some good success on this. Yet, …

As I said to the Deputy, of the 221 whole-time equivalent posts, 126 have been filled. Wherever they are in the country, at this stage there is a shortfall of more than 700 whole-time equivalent staff on our CDNT teams, which have a role in supporting our special schools. The Wexford model has been phenomenal in the sense that there has been real collaboration there. I have no doubt the same collaboration is in Cork as well between our teaching body and local CDNT teams, where there is a knowledge of where the capa…

I thank Deputy Smith for raising that question. It is not the first time he has raised it. I have spoken to Edel Quinn, who is organising a meeting in person so we can work with the IWA and the HSE on the business case to have an immediate resolution to the issue the Deputy has raised and to return in-person service in the day centre.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and providing me with the opportunity to discuss the matter. As Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities, respite services for people with disabilities and their families are a key priority for me. In outlining his case, the Deputy correctly stated that not all of this falls under my remit. There is respite for older people as well. However, my response specifically addresses respite for people with disabilities. This Government is continuing to expand the pro…

I thank the Deputy and I take on board all that he said. I welcome the fact that the Taoiseach today, on the floor of the Dáil, committed that he is meeting Family Carers Ireland within the next two weeks to discuss the full report there. It is unfortunate that when the Deputy knocks on a door, he has the experience that people are unaware of the fabulous day-care services that are available, and where there is access to transport. The Deputy is correct that there needs to be a co-ordinated response to that. Speaki…

I thank the Deputy for giving me this opportunity, and the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, for giving me the opportunity to take his question the response to which he has prepared, as it falls under the Department of Health. Out of respect to the Minister, I will read the response he has given me and then I will add my own commentary. I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to update the House on the release of the HSE property in Mahon from the National Ambulance Service to Cork City Council. The HSE h…

This is a project that if the likes of it were in Dundalk or Drogheda, whereby a property was made available to the local authority, I have no doubt the Cathaoirleach Gníomhnach would stay hot on my heels until it was operationalised. It is one of those project that needs to be operationalised now. There is no point in having a building left vacant. It is now a building that will pass over to Cork City Council. There are very good people working in Cork City Council who need to prioritise this because, at the end o…

I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am answering on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley. I will read her script and then address some of the points not covered in it. I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. With regard to the introduction of a special rate of pay for teachers in rent pressure zones, pay and workplace reform measures for public servants have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for a number of years, with the new public service agreement in place u…

The Minister, Deputy Foley, provided me with these closing remarks. Housing remains a priority matter for Government, led by my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Housing for All strategy delivers on the programme for Government commitment to step up housing supply and put affordability at the heart of the housing system. Rent pressure zones were introduced by the Government in recognition of the rising costs of rent and are located in parts of the country where rents are highest…

I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this important issue. As I said earlier, I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley. The Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, is also in that Department and I am replying on her behalf too. Meeting the needs of children with complex special educational needs and children at most risk of educational disadvantage is a priority for Government. I want to start by saying there has been significant progress made in the summer programme over the past few years. T…

I thank the Senator. As he said, this programme needs to be kept under constant review. If we do so, it will ensure that no child will be left behind, regardless of the uptake by schools. It is fantastic to see €2,000 per child being made available through grants and that this funding can be used to support children in the home or in education, depending on the needs of the family and the child concerned, in conjunction with SNAs. The Senator would have raised the point previously as well about SNAs being able to s…

I thank Senator Byrne for raising this matter. As I said previously, I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley. It gives me an opportunity to update the House on the position regarding the planned construction of the new school for the Gaelscoil in Kilbride, County Wicklow, which has 279 pupils and was established in 1998. The school project is part of a campus project on a greenfield site with a Gaelcholáiste at Kilbride, County Wicklow. It has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Educa…