I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising this really important issue and giving me the opportunity to discuss it on the floor of the House. The specialist disability budget supports a range of services funded through the HSE and delivered by section 38 and section 39 organisations, as well as the HSE. This includes, among other services and supports, day services and rehabilitative training for people with specialist disability service requirements. The HSE funds on an annual basis 97 provider organisations to provide d…

The Deputy is right that it is important that not only should we provide access to high-quality day services right across the country, which we are, but we should also ensure that people can get there as easily as possible. I appreciate that and every effort is being made to ensure that local public transport links are provided. In Meath's situation, which is unique, there is a bespoke solution that is working for the people there. I appreciate that there is the waiting list of five, but it is something unique to M…

I thank the Deputy for raising this question and providing me with an opportunity to speak on this matter. The Government is committed to supporting people with disabilities through the implementation of the UNCRPD. To further the work in this area the Department of Children, Disability and Equality has recently published the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030. This includes commitments to promote independent living and active participation and supports our obligations under Article 19 of …

I thank the Deputy. While the chief inspector of social services within HIQA does not have the remit to look at the specific issue of an individual’s distance from their original home, where inspectors see that residents are away from their support network or having to travel extended distances to their family, work or school, it is addressed in inspection reports under regulation 9 on residents’ rights and regulation 13 on general welfare and development. On private and not-for-profit providers, the proportion of …

On data, I wish to be clear that the cost of care is completely dependent on the level of complexity and the support required. It is imperative to note that as a result, cost is not a reflection of performance and rather is indicative of individualised care needs. What is most important here is the person with the care need at the heart of this. The Deputy has the data on the average cost of residential places. That data is published and publicly available. The Department of Children, Disability and Equality's spen…

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to address this on the floor of the House. The delivery of an effective, efficient assessment of need system is a priority for the Government. There has been intensive work by the Department of Health and the HSE. Demand for assessments of need has increased significantly in recent years. Applications may be in excess of 11,000 this year compared with 4,700 in 2020. That represents a doubling in five years. This reflects both the increase in population and the number…

I thank both Deputies. I was delighted to engage with the cross-party group on autism about this issue the day before yesterday. The direct question about the education plans was how the process will be formulated, and the answer is through consultation. The Department of Education and Youth has indicated to us that it is willing to explore how to get to a point where it can remove an assessment of need as a requirement for entry to special schools and special classes. It will now consult on how best to do that wit…

I thank the Deputies. Can I be really clear? Last week's announcement was about children with disabilities who require therapies and that is exactly what we are setting out to achieve - the delivery of therapies regardless of children's disability. There is a six-pronged approach here. The heads of Bill have now been published. They will go through pre-legislative scrutiny at the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. We have committed to informing parents earlier about when a decision is arrived at as to whether o…

As Minister for State with special responsibility for disabilities, I am committed to delivering a step-change in supports and services for people with disabilities and their families, ensuring they are enabled to live full lives of their own choosing and on an equitable basis with everyone else in society. The Department has been working closely with the HSE to deliver on this ambition and improve disability services for all who use them. The Deputy will be aware that services are provided on the basis of need and…

Just to advise the Deputy that our Department and the HSE are currently auditing respite services to have better visibility and to be able to plan better and make decisions based on the need. It is our intention to increase both overnight and day respite next year throughout the country. That will be part if the HSE's national services statement and national services plan and we will be making the decisions on that based on the level of current provision and the level of identified need in an area. I hope that is o…

Just to clarify, the NCSE is under the remit of the Department of education rather than our Department. I know this is something the Minister of State with responsibility for special education and the Minister for education are looking at. Together with the NCSE, they had set a date of 1 October for applications. That was to be able to give the parents better clarity, better security and early decision-making ahead of the coming academic year. I appreciate that there are parents who may have been in a position to p…

HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East and the disability services in the Cavan-Monaghan IHA service area have identified a premises for sale that is suitable for the purposes of renovation to develop a HSE respite centre for children. The purchase transaction has been approved and completed. The keys of the premises have been transferred to HSE Capital and Estates Dublin and North East. The premises are located at Drumbear, Ballybay Road, County Monaghan. Following the conclusion of the preliminary design s…

As the Deputy is aware, Rainbow Lodge is an interim children's respite centre. It came into operation on 1 October 2024. Retention of this respite centre service is contingent on future funding considerations. I take on board what the Deputy has said in relation to the new centre coming on board at the end of next year, and that there may perhaps be a gap. I take that feedback on board and will bring it back to my officials. Regarding respite services for adults and children in County Monaghan, I draw the Deputy's …

The Deputy described a deficiency in respite care in Monaghan. I assure him that the Department and the HSE are currently auditing respite services to give us better visibility of the full picture regarding the provision but also, more importantly, the need. We have additional funding next year that we sought through budget negotiations. That will be part of the HSE's national services plan that is to be published. To clarify, we will be making the decisions as to where the funding goes based on the current level o…

The Government absolutely recognises there are unacceptable delays in accessing assessments of need. My Department and the HSE are committed to addressing these delays. Under the Disability Act, an assessment of need is an assessment process carried out by the HSE where a person is of the opinion that he or she may have a disability for anyone born after 1 June 2002. It first establishes whether the person has a disability as defined within the Act and then identifies the health and education needs of the person wi…

That statistic that 45% of children who go through the assessment of need process receive a diagnosis of autism is absolutely correct. For that reason the HSE is standing up a new autism assessment and protocol process in order to be able to respond to emerging need in this area. We hope that from January, but definitely from the first quarter of next year, children who are displaying autistic traits will be referred into the new HSE autism protocol and assessment process. That will absolutely help. It will provide…

Taking cognisance of the Chair I will give a short response. Our in-reach teams will support the HSE's new model and will work to ensure there is more joined-up thinking between primary care, CAMHS and our CDNTs. Each team will consist of a psychologist, a speech and language therapist, an occupational therapist and an administration person. Part of the reason we have an administration person is because some of the feedback we have received from parents is around communication. This person will assist with that fro…

It is a prop.

Before I deal with the Topical Issue, I wish a merry Christmas to Deputy O'Reilly and her family, as well as to the Ceann Comhairle, her team and everybody who keeps this place running day in and day out. I hope they all enjoy the break. I thank Deputy O’Reilly for raising this issue and for offering me the opportunity to speak about it on the floor of the House. The Government recognises that there are unacceptable delays in accessing assessments of need, not just in the Deputy's constituency, but at a national le…

I will. The reforms announced last week are basically a six-pronged approach. First is the statutory element and we published the heads of the Bill, which will go to the disability matters committee for pre-legislative scrutiny and for further consultation. That is aimed at standardising and streamlining the assessment of need process to make sure that every child, no matter where they are in the State, gets the same approach. The second thing we have done is made the decision - this will be part of the statutory g…