 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dáil Debates & Questions
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July 09 2009 Parliamentary Questions
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS Deputy Denis Naughten (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding made available to date in 2009 for the disability sector; the budget for this sector in 2009; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): As the Deputy’s question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. Deputy Charlie O’Connor (FF): asked the Minister for Health and Children her plans for the future of the Central Mental Hospital in Dundrum, Dublin; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): In May 2006 the Government confirmed the decision to develop a new Central Mental Hospital (CMH) at Thornton Hall, County Dublin. Since then, a draft project brief has been prepared and a Cost Benefit Analysis has been completed. None of the work undertaken to date has been site specific but a number of difficulties have now emerged with the Thornton Hall site. The HSE has identified a need for an Intellectual Disability Forensic Mental Health Unit and a Child and Adolescent Forensic Mental Health Unit. Neither of these units would be viable as a stand alone facility and they should be co-located with the CMH, but the twenty acre site at Thornton Hall is not large enough to allow for these additional developments. Moreover, the construction of these additional units at a location separate to the CMH would incur increased capital and revenue costs. The planning and design process for the CMH redevelopment project will soon need to become site specific and in these circumstances, all of the issues involved are currently being considered. Deputy Richard Bruton (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children if there is scope for persons with a disability to change service provider in order to try alternative placements and experiences; her views on budget holding arrangements for clients so they search around for facilities which most suited their needs. Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): Changing service provider is an operational service matter. Accordingly, I have arranged for this aspect of the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. Personal social support services are designed to allow people with a disability to live a life of their choice to the greatest extent possible. As such, the nature, content and extent of such supports should depend upon the degree to which the individual needs them to participate as fully as possible in the social and economic life of their community. Currently, these supports are provided by the Health Service Executive and, more commonly, by voluntary agencies funded by the HSE. They would include, for example, day, respite and residential services. Persons with a disability who require personal social supports, should have choice and control over the supports provided to them. This is being increasingly addressed through individual funding and individual budgets. Individual funding can ensure that the funding given to an agency for the provision of services to an individual, must be used to provide services for that individual. Individual budgets may involve a dedicated budget which is managed by the individual or by advocates on behalf of that individual. This year, the Department of Health and Children will be reviewing disability service expenditure within the health sector as part of the Government’s programme of Value for Money and Policy Reviews. The review will consider models of funding and budgets for those services which are intended to enable people with a disability to participate in the social and economic life of their community. In addition, the Minister for Health and Children has established an Expert Group on Resource Allocation in the Health Sector in April 2009. The Group will examine how the existing system of resource allocation within the Irish public health service can be improved to support better the aims of the health reform programme. As part of the terms of reference, the Minister has asked the Expert Group, in the light of its work, to take a view on the most appropriate financing mechanism for the Irish health service. The Group has been asked to report to the Minister for Health and Children and the Minister for Finance by April 2010. Deputy Richard Bruton (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the costings per week allowed to providers of services in respect of people with disabilities for five day care places, for full-time residential care, for respite care. Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): As the Deputy’s question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. Deputy Denis Naughten (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding paid to date in 2009 to the nursing home scheme administrator; the total number of files on hand; the timetable for completion of the assessments; Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): The Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for administering the health repayment scheme in conjunction with the appointed scheme administrator KPMG/McCann Fitzgerald. The Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 provides a clear legal framework to repay recoverable health charges for publicly funded long term residential care. Recoverable health charges are charges which were imposed on persons with full eligibility under the Health (Charges for In-patient Services) Regulations 1976 as amended in 1987 or charges for in-patient services only, raised under the Institutional Assistance Regulations 1954 as amended in 1965. All applications received under the scheme are processed within this legal framework and specific details on certain cohorts of applicants, such as those outlined by the Deputy are not currently available. The Act provides for the HSE to submit an application on behalf of patients in care who due to a physical or mental disability or ill heath are unable to apply themselves and have no other connected person to apply on their behalf. Over 35,000 completed applications have been received by the Scheme Administrator and 7,600 of these applications were submitted by the HSE on behalf of patients. Approximately 7,250 HSE applications have been concluded, 350 HSE claims remain to be concluded and approximately 1,100 of these HSE claims have been appealed. The procedure employed to have an offer accepted or reviewed when HSE staff make an application is in accordance with the legislative provisions of the Act. If the applicant disagrees with the repayment amount offered an appeal is lodged under section 16 of the Act which provides for the process for those who wish to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator. When HSE staff accept an offer of repayment on behalf of a patient, the repayment is made directly to the relevant patient private property account. The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office is an independent office established to provide an appeals service to those who wish to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator under the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006. Up to the 26 June 2009, the Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office has received 1,618 completed appeal forms from all claimants who had received an offer from the Scheme Administrator. Decisions have been made in 878 of these appeals and 406 of these decisions have disagreed with the amounts offered by the Scheme Administrator. The Health Repayment Scheme Appeals Office has received 4,038 completed appeal forms from all claimants whose claim had been rejected by the Scheme Administrator. Decisions have been made in 2,687 of these appeals and 322 of these decisions have disagreed with the decision of the Scheme Administrator. 17,605 payments totalling in excess of €390 million have issued while over 20,400 offers of repayment totalling over €408 million have been made up to 26 June 2009. Approximately 1,000 claims are currently outstanding and these claims are being concluded on an ongoing basis. The time taken to process each application is dependent on the complexity of the application and the availability of accurate records. In addition an offer of repayment cannot be completed until the statutory 28 appeal period has elapsed and a completed form of acceptance returned to the Scheme Administrator. In addition claimants must be given the opportunity to appeal the decision of the Scheme Administrator and the appeals process will impact on the overall timeframe for the completion of repayments under the Scheme. A total of €13 million has been paid to the Scheme Administrator to date including €1.3 million which has been paid in 2009.
Deputy Aengus O’Snodaigh (SF): asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will make arrangements for more full-time permanent speech and language therapist to be employed; and if she will offer temporary contracts to clear the waiting list backlog for speech and language assessments and treatment which in some areas stands in excess of two years. Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): There has been a growing demand for, and investment in, speech and language therapy services over the last number of years. A particular priority for my Department and the Department of Education and Science in recent years has been the expansion of the supply of therapy graduates. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such personnel in order to secure a good supply of graduates to provide for the health care needs of the population into the future. In this regard, since 1997, the number of training places for speech and language therapy has been increased from 25 to 105 which represents an increase of 320%. Almost 130,000 people work full-time or part-time in our public health services. In recent years, the Government’s ongoing high level of investment in health has achieved and maintained significant increases in the numbers of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals employed in the public health services. The numbers employed in speech and language therapy has also grown significantly, from 282 whole time equivalents employed in December 1997 rising to 759 whole time equivalents employed in March 2009, which represents an increase of 169%. The Government is committed to ensuring continued adequate recruitment of professional staff across a range of community settings to ensure the continued development of community services. Additional funding of €20 million has been provided in 2009 for health and education services for children with special educational needs. This funding will provide a total of 125 additional therapy posts in the HSE targeted at children of schoolgoing age. 90 of these will be in the disability services, including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. My Department has written to the Health Service Executive setting out the overall approved employment control ceiling for 2009. As part of this approval, written confirmation has been provided to the HSE that the general moratorium on recruitment, promotion and the payment of acting up allowances does not apply to specific designated grades. Delegated sanction has been given to the HSE for the creation and filling of front line posts including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy posts. The approval indicated that vacancies in existing posts in these grades may continue to be filled. New posts may also be created in these grades, up to a specified limit, provided that the HSE is satisfied in each case that there is no scope to redeploy an equivalent post from the hospital sector to the primary and community care sector. This moratorium exemption provides for an increase in the number of therapy posts, in line with Government policy, in order to meet the requirements of integrated care delivery and primary care needs particularly in respect of children at risk, the elderly and those with disabilities. The recruitment and retention of these key front line therapy posts, including speech and language therapists, is vital to ensure continued progress in the development of community settings. Subject to overall parameters set by Government, the Health Service Executive has the responsibility for determining the composition of its staffing complement. In that regard, it is a matter for the Executive to manage and deploy its human resources to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. With regard to the recruitment of speech and language therapists on temporary contracts, as this is a service matter it has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to double the income limit eligibility of parents of children under six years of age and treble them for parents of children with an intellectual disability under 18 years of age; Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): My Department is currently reviewing all legislation relating to eligibility for health and personal social services with a view to making the system as fair and transparent as possible. As part of this exercise, a review of the eligibility criteria for medical cards in the context of financial, medical and social need is being undertaken and is expected to be completed in the coming months.
Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to improve services and supports for marginalized groups, particularly those with mental health difficulties; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): The Government is committed to a coherent strategy for social inclusion based on the lifecycle approach set out in the national partnership agreement Towards 2016. In addition, the NationalAction Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion), complemented by the social inclusion elements of the National Development Plan 2007-2013: Transforming Ireland — A Better Qualityof Life for All, sets out how the social inclusion strategy will be achieved over the period 2007-2016. In January 2008, the Government established the Office for Disability and Mental Health as a cross-cutting Government Office with a remit across four Government Departments: Health and Children, Education and Science, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Office was assigned four key priorities one of which is to bring a new impetus to the implementation of ‘A Vision for Change’ working in partnership with the HSE and other stakeholders including other Government Departments to achieve implementation of agreed targets. The Office aims to bring about improvements in the manner in which services respond to the needs of people with disabilities and mental health difficulties, by working to develop person-centred services, focusing on the holistic needs of clients and service users and actively involving them in their own care. Bilateral meetings with officials from other Government Departments to discuss progressing recommendations in ’A Vision for Change’ and‘Reach Out’ the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention take place within this context. With regard to information on specific services and supports available to marginalized groups, the question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the progress made on the programme for Government commitment to increase the supply of professionals needed to meet the plans to develop new services for persons with disabilities; if she will improve and sustain our primary healthcare and hospital services; Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): There has been a growing demand for, and investment in, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy services over the last number of years. A particular priority for my Department and the Department of Education and Science in recent years has been the expansion of the supply of therapy graduates. The Government has also invested heavily in the education and training of such personnel in order to secure a good supply of graduates to provide for the healthcare needs of the population into the future. The Government is committed to ensuring continued adequate recruitment of professional staff across a range of community settings to ensure the continued development of community services. Additional funding of €20 million has been provided in 2009 for health and education services for children with special educational needs. This funding will provide a total of 125 additional therapy posts in the HSE targeted at children of school-going age. 90 of these will be in the disability services, including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. 35 additional posts will be provided for child and adolescent mental health services, including clinical psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists for new and existing multi-disciplinary teams. My Department has written to the Health Service Executive setting out the overall approved employment control ceiling for 2009. As part of this approval, written confirmation has been provided to the HSE that the general moratorium on recruitment, promotion and the payment of acting up allowances does not apply to specific designated grades. Delegated sanction has been given to the HSE for the creation and filling of frontline posts including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy posts. The approval indicated that vacancies in existing posts in these grades may continue to be filled. New posts may also be created in these grades, up to a specified limit, provided that the HSE is satisfied in each case that there is no scope to redeploy an equivalent post from the hospital sector to the primary and community care sector. This moratorium exemption provides for an increase in the number of therapy posts, in line with Government policy, in order to meet the requirements of integrated care delivery and primary care needs particularly in respect of children at risk, the elderly and those with disabilities. The recruitment and retention of these key front line therapy posts is vital to ensure continued progress in the development of community settings. The HSE National Service Plan, which I approved in December, sets out the type and volume of services to be delivered in 2009. The HSE is reconfiguring many of its front line services. This is in keeping with the overall strategic direction as set out in the HSE Corporate Plan 2008-2011. The planned reconfiguration of frontline services set out in the Service Plan includes conversion of in-patient work to day case work, a focus on reducing in-patient length of stay in acute hospitals, reduction of in-patient bed numbers and associated costs and the provision of more services in community settings, thus reducing the dependency on in-patient beds. My Department has agreed a monitoring framework with the HSE which includes the receipt of monthly performance reports from the HSE which provides information on the progression of the National Service Plan.
Deputy David Stanton (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the groups in society that have the highest levels of consistent poverty; the steps she will take to reduce the poverty risk and poverty levels of these groups; Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): Combating poverty and building an inclusive society are key priorities for the Government. The overall goal of the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion) introduced in February 2007 is to reduce the number of those experiencing consistent poverty to between 2 per cent and 4 per cent by 2012, with the aim of eliminating consistent poverty by 2016. These commitments and the social inclusion commitments in the National Development Plan have wide ranging support, having been drawn up in consultation with the social partners and other stakeholders. The latest results from the EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), released in December 2008, which applied to 2007, indicated at that stage that the reductions in poverty were on target to achieve both the 2012 and 2016 goals. It showed that the rate of consistent poverty in the population in 2007 was 5.1 per cent, down from 6.5 per cent in 2006 and 7.0 per cent in 2005. The position of groups most vulnerable to consistent poverty is as follows. The proportion of children experiencing consistent poverty reduced from 10.3 per cent in 2006 to 7.4 per cent in 2007. This significant reduction may be, at least in part, due to the major reduction in the incidence of consistent poverty among lone parents from 33.9 per cent in 2006 to 20.1 per cent in 2007. The other age group vulnerable to consistent poverty is people living alone and their position remained the same, apart from a slight increase for those over age 65. Other groups with a relatively high level of consistent poverty include the unemployed whose rate reduced from 22 per cent to 17.5 per cent and those not at work due to sickness or disability whose rate reduced from 17.9 per cent to 15.8 per cent. The major factor determining whether people are vulnerable to consistent poverty, demonstrated by the findings of this and other similar surveys, is employment. The rate of consistent poverty in 2007 for households where no one was at work was 16.3 per cent, (although this was down substantially from 21.2 per cent in 2006). This rate was 4 times the rate for households where one person was at work. Where two people in a household were at work the rate wasjust 1.3 per cent.Our challenge now is to create jobs for those without work. Economic policy is the majorbasis for creating jobs and reducing unemployment. I am confident that the Government ispursuing the right economic policies to achieve those aims. Employment participation, forexample, is currently facilitated and incentivised by a range of education and employmentsupports made available by the Department of Social and Family Affairs to people in receiptof social welfare payments, particularly the long-term unemployed, lone parents, and sicknessrelated welfare recipients. These include the Back to Education and Back to Work EnterpriseAllowance Schemes. The Activation and Family Support Programme and the Second ChanceEducation Opportunities Scheme offer supports to social welfare customers and others to helpthem improve their employability and personal and family situations. People with families whoare in lower paid employment are eligible to receive the Family Income Supplement whichincreases household income while enabling recipients to remain in, or take up, employment.It is also more essential than ever in the current economic conditions to ensure that theresources devoted to social inclusion policies are used as effectively and efficiently as possible.The National Action Plan on social inclusion facilitates this through tackling poverty in acoordinated and ‘joined up’ way so as to ensure better results in relation to both the peoplesupported and the substantial resources expended. The range of policies subject to the NationalPlan include actions on employment, social welfare, education, health, housing, disability andequality.The Government’s commitment to prioritising the most vulnerable people in our society wasclearly demonstrated in Budget 2009 which, despite the state of the public finances, providedincreases of between 3% and 3.8% in basic social welfare rates. It is also vital however, thateconomic policies are pursued at this time that will enable better and more secure living standardsfor the future. Achieving the right combination of both economic and social policies willdetermine the extent to which we can achieve the overall goal of eliminating consistent povertyby 2016. I am confident that we are pursuing the correct combination of economic and socialpolicies that will greatly increase the likelihood of achieving that goal.
Deputy Liz McManus (L): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason she is removing the DCA for children with autism; if her attention has been drawn to the hardship that this is causing children with autism and their parents; her views on the value of the DCA for children with autism in the absence of the State providing adequate schooling for children with autism; if she will reconsider the removal of this allowance; Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): There has been no decision to remove the Domiciliary Care Allowance from children with autism. Of the first 249 applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance processed by the Department, 149 were refused and 100 awarded. Further examination of these cases shows that of those awarded, 12 children were specifically diagnosed with either, Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome and of the first 149 cases refused 16 children were specifically diagnosed with either Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger’s Syndrome. Eligibility for the allowance is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. As such it is not possible to say if a child with autism or any other intellectual disability will or will not qualify for a payment under the scheme. Each application is assessed on an individual basis taking account of the evidence submitted. Since the transfer to the Department the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme is now a statutory scheme with the primary legislation provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2008. Prior to the transfer the eligibility criteria for the scheme was set out by way of a Circular from the Department of Health and Children. The Department uses a set of consistent and objective guidelines in determining the medical eligibility of children for the scheme. These guidelines were drawn up by a Group chaired by the Department’s Chief Medical Advisor comprised of senior medical personnel from the HSE as well as eminent professionals in the areas of physical disabilities which affect children, and child psychiatry/psychology. All claims are assessed by designated Departmental Medical Assessors who have received special training in Human Disability Evaluation. In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant may submit additional information and/or ask for the case to be reviewed by a different Medical Assessor specially designated for this task. Where a person is not satisfied with the decision of a Deciding Officer they may appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The provision of adequate schooling for children with autism is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Education and Science. Deputy Olwyn Enright (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress in relation to the programme for Government commitment to invest further in the Citizens’ Information Board to enable them to engage advocacy officials to assist people with disabilities in accessing their entitlements; Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): The provision of an advocacy service remains a priority for this Government. Significant resources have been provided since 2007, and will continue to be made available to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) for the development and provision of advocacy services for people including those with disabilities. Funding of €6.1 million was provided to CIB in the period 2005 to 2008 for the development of advocacy services and for the implementation of the Disability Sectoral Plan. The estimated expenditure by CIB in 2009 for the provision of advocacy and disability services is €3.2m. The Citizens Information Board has developed a Community and Voluntary Sector Advocacy Programme and has funded 46 separate advocacy projects. The overall focus of the programme is on representative advocacy for people with a disability. Projects either operate within a specific geographic area or are focused on a particular disability type. Each of the projects poses different challenges, some requiring more intensive work with smaller caseloads while others have larger caseloads with shorter periods of client contact. Up to the end of June 2009, in excess of 5,000 members of the public have availed of the services provided by the projects. The Citizens Information Board is monitoring the programme to ensure that the projects are operating in accordance with the Board’s advocacy guidelines and a full evaluation of the Community and Voluntary Sector Advocacy programme will be completed in 2010. The Citizens Information Board also provides advocacy through the Citizens Information Services focusing on access to services, welfare entitlements and employment rights. This type of mainstream advocacy is also open to people with disabilities and the Community and Voluntary Sector Advocacy programme is creating close links with the Citizens Information Services to ensure that people with disabilities are encouraged and supported to use the mainstream services where possible. I am satisfied with the developments undertaken to provide advocacy services for people with disabilities through the Citizens Information Board. The funding provided has allowed for the continued increase in the number of people availing of the Community and Voluntary Sector Advocacy Projects and mainstream advocacy through the Citizens Information Services network. The Department will continue to work with the Citizens Information Board (CIB) to further enhance advocacy services for all citizens, including those with disabilities. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Question No. 174 of 26 February 2009, if he will provide the 2009 allocations; if additional funds will be provided to deal with the backlog; the number awaiting approval in each area; Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Michael Finneran): My Department’s involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for OlderPeople and People with a Disability and the Mobility Aids Grant scheme relates primarily tothe recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individualgrants. These schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupment availablefrom my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.In the case of the old Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs grant schemes these are fundedby 67% recoupment, together with a 33% contribution from the resources of the local authority.The detailed administration of these schemes, including the assessment and approval ofindividual applications, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. Details of theExchequer funding provided to each Local Authority under the new Housing AdaptationGrant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant scheme,the old Disabled Persons and Emergency Repairs grant schemes for 2007 and 2008, and thetotal allocation for 2009 from Exchequer and local authority sources, are set out in the tablewhich follows this reply. At this stage I do not envisage making further allocations to localauthorities in respect of the operation of these schemes in 2009. However, I will review thefunding position later in the year, in the event of under spending by local authorities of theirallocations for the grant schemes or other allocations under the wider social housing investmentprogramme.
Deputy Leo Varadkar (FG): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Question Nos. 603 and 604 of 22 April 2009, the status of these proposals; the date by which he expects each of these proposals to be fully completed; Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy John Gormley): My Department approved funding for 2009 totalling €12 million to local authorities and bodies under its aegis to continue a programme of work begun in 2005 under the National Disability Strategy. My Department has written to all Local Authorities informing them of their allocations. Local authorities and other public bodies have a key role in implementing the requirements of the Department’s Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005. The funding will assist them in continuing the invaluable work of providing for the needs of those with disabilities and seeking to meet these needs in the most efficient manner possible. It will be used to provide disability awareness training and undertake accessibility audits, adapt information systems and equipment for people with disabilities, and to provide and improve, where needed, accessibility to public buildings, roads and pavements, parks, amenities, heritage sites and other public areas for which local authorities have responsibility. The process to bring about the merger of the Local Government Management Services Board and the Local Government Computer Services Board is at an advanced stage. As indicated previously, the question of underpinning legislation will be finalised in the second half of 2009. Operational arrangements are at an advanced stage. Decisions have been taken regarding the location of the merged body, and the implications of these have been communicated to all staff. The process for the recruitment of the Chief Executive Officer of the merged organisation is in hand, with an appointment expected in the last quarter of 2009. Proposals for the design of the new organisation have been developed, and staff in both organisations are co-operating at a practical level on a daily basis. Deputy Emmet Stagg (L): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason County Leitrim, with a population of 28,837 people according to census 2006, received €1,790,000 for house grants for older people and people with a disability, whilst County Kildare, with a population of 186,075 people according to Census 2006 only received €1,870,000. Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Michael Finneran): The annual allocations to local authorities under the schemesconcerned are calculated on foot of detailed discussion between my Department and individualauthorities and on the basis of a number of criteria, including the level of applications on handthat have been assessed as eligible, applications yet to be assessed and projections for newapplications to be received during the year. It is a matter for each local authority to decide onthe specific level of funding to be directed towards each of the individual schemes, from withinthe combined allocation notified to them by my Department, and to manage the operation ofthe schemes in their areas from within their allocation.
Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to ensure that all teachers and assistants have access to specialist training; Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): My Department has provided for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs. Central to this is the “Special Education Support Service” (SESS) which was established in September 2003. The service consolidates co-ordinates, develops and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in a variety of educational settings. These settings include mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and special classes. The CPD provided by the SESS covers a range of specialties, including inter alia:
The SESS has also been involved in the provision of intensive CPD for teachers working in new Autism Units opened since 2007. The SESS provides a wide range of supports and interventions in the area of Autism via online training, face-to-face training, phone advice and individualised support for schools identified with continuing professional development needs. The approaches include Language and Communication, Managing Inclusion, Curriculum Access for Pupils with General Learning Disabilities and Autism, Sensory Integration, PECS, TEACCH, Social Stories, and Applied Behaviour Analysis. Delivery of this CPD begins prior to their entry to the units and continues following the opening of the unit with ongoing in school support as well as programmes of CPD. Furthermore, as part of an initiative rolled out for the 08/09 school year, teachers can have SESS CPD in the area of ASDs accredited by St Angela’s College in Sligo. My Department has established a Special Educational Needs Behaviour Team as part of the SESS. This team has responsibility for the delivery of CPD and support to consolidate teachers’ knowledge and skills in behavioural support and in the application of behavioural principles to learning through the use of contemporary applied behaviour analysis strategies. In addition, my Department funds several third level courses in teacher training colleges and universities. These include:
My Department is also currently examining all available options with regard to the provision of CPD to provide teachers with the skills necessary for the design, implementation and evaluation of learning and teaching programmes for students learning through the medium of Irish Sign Language. CPD also forms a significant part of the preparatory work necessary for the successful implementation of the Education for People with Special Educational needs (EPSEN) Act. The SESS will provide one full day of CPD for the Principal and a number of key teaching staff in all Primary and Post-Primary schools during 2009. This programme of CPD commenced in primary schools in May 2009 and is expected to commence in post-primary schools in Autumn. The CPD centres on principles of best practice in relation to individualised planning for students with special educational needs. The Special Education Support Service (SESS) provided over 25,000 continuing professional development (CPD) places in 2008. 36,000 places are to be provided by the SESS in 2009. In terms of training for Special Needs Assistants, my Department currently funds a certificate for Special Needs Assistants delivered by:
Introductory courses are also provided through Education Centres, which can be taken as a standalone course or as part of the above-mentioned certificate. Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to provide for improved access to lifelong learning for adults with disabilities; Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Deputy Seán Haughey): My Department is committed to encouraging and facilitating the participation of people withdisabilities in Further Education by providing supports to enable their access to the variousprogrammes on offer.The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) provides part-time Further Education programmesfor adults to give them an opportunity to combine a return to learning with family, work andother responsibilities. People with disabilities are one of the target groups of the programme.The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), while primarily targeting the unemployed,also facilitates people with disabilities. Under VTOS, full-time courses of one or twoyears duration are provided to participants to enhance their employability.Adults with disabilities may also avail of adult literacy courses provided by VECs aroundthe country. A grant has been provided to the Irish Deaf Society to train tutors to give literacytuition. A grant is also awarded annually to the Dyslexia Association of Ireland as a contributiontowards assessments.An action research pilot project is continuing in a number of Further Education Colleges inthe Dublin area. This project is supported by three Disability Support Officers, the NationalTraining and Development Institute and flexible additional funds for transport, equipment, interpreters, etc. The service identifies and offers support to students and staff around the area of disability. The provision of awareness-raising sessions and participation in college open and recruitment days is also an integral element of the role of the Support Officers. My Department is also currently working with the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education and the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) to address special education needs of adults in further education. In 2007/08, a total of 3,099 students with disabilities attending third level and further education accessed funding through the Fund for People with Disabilities which is administered by the Higher Education Authority. The total amount provided to students through this fund was €13.53 million. Of this €2.88 million was allocated to 331 students in the further education sector up from €1.745 million and 279 students in 2006/2007. In 2008, AHEAD, in conjunction with the National Council for Guidance in Education (NCGE) launched a Handbook for Guidance and Information Officers on disability issues in Further Education. Following the input of key stakeholders on possible ways forward for the development of services for people with intellectual disabilities, a scoping paper on the parameters of provision for adults with disabilities in adult education and lifelong learning was received in 2008. This is forming part of the consideration and development of an overall policy to address special needs and disability in Further Education. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inclusion
Ireland, Unit C2, The Steelworks, Foley Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Tel: 01 8559891 Fax: 01 8559904 Email: info@inclusionireland.ie |