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Dáil Debates & Questions
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November 10 2009 Dáil Debates Parliamentary Questions
DÁIL DEBATES Deputy David Stanton (FG): asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will review and revise the national disability strategy in view of the postponing of the implementation of legislative elements of the strategy; Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy John Moloney): The key elements of the national disability strategy are the Disability Act 2005, theCitizen’s Information Act 2007, the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act2004, sectoral plans and a multi-annual investment programme targeted at high-priority disabilitysupport services to run until 2009. The strategy is, in large measure, being implemented.Implementation continues to be monitored by the national disability strategy stakeholdersmonitoring group chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach.The Deputy will appreciate that whereas the Department of Justice, Equality and LawReform has responsibility for the co-ordination of the strategy, other Departments are designatedwith responsibility for particular legislative provisions. However, I can state in generalthe following.All sections of the Disability Act 2005 have been commenced. Part 2 of the Act, whichprovides for all children with disabilities an entitlement to an independent assessment of healthand education needs, was commenced on 1 June 2007 for children under five years of age. Ithad been intended to have the Disability Act 2005 and the Education for Persons with SpecialEducational Needs Act 2004 fully implemented during 2010 in respect of children between fiveand 18 years of age. This would have required significant additional investment in 2009 and2010 to prepare the education and health sectors for the operation of the legislation and tosupport the statutory processes that would be required. In the light of the current financialcircumstances, it has become necessary to defer further implementation of the two Acts. TheGovernment will keep this matter under review and is committed to the full implementationof both Acts at the earliest possible date.The statutory basis for the introduction of a personal advocacy service under the Citizen’sInformation Board was provided for in the Citizen’s Information Act 2007 but it was notpossible, due to budgetary circumstances, to proceed with the service in 2008 as planned andthis remains the case. The provision of an advocacy service remains a priority for the Government,the Department of Social and Family Affairs and the Citizen’s Information Board. Theboard has developed a community and voluntary sector advocacy programme for people withdisabilities and has funded 46 separate advocacy projects. Up to the end of October 2009, 5,550members of the public had availed of the services provided by the projects.Additional information not given on the floor of the House.Sectoral plans, also provided for in the Disability Act 2005, are an integral part of thenational disability strategy. They contain the service delivery and implementation arrangementsof six Departments. The sectoral plans were published in December 2006 and in accordancewith the provisions of the Disability Act, they are due to be reviewed and progress reportedby the end of the year. The National Disability Authority is assisting with the process of thereviews and representatives of people with disabilities are involved in consultation with theDepartments and with the authority. There is no doubt that Ireland is faced with a particularlydifficult and uncertain point of economic transition which requires re-prioritisation of publicexpenditure. Nevertheless, the Government and social partners have confirmed their commitmentto work towards the long-term goals set down in Towards 2016 for each stage of the lifecycle, that is, children, people of working age, older people and people with disabilities.The national disability strategy as endorsed by the Government and social partners inTowards 2016 continues to be the focus of policy. Implementation of the strategy is prioritizedin the renewed programme for Government and will continue to be monitored rigorously. TheGovernment will ensure that the national disability strategy is driven and managed from awhole of Government perspective and will continue to prioritise and protect this importantarea of Government policy. Deputy David Stanton: Does the Minister of State agree that the disability strategy is now in tatters? He has already outlined the key elements of the strategy, including the Disability Act, the EPSEN Act and the Citizen’s Information Act. The carers’ strategy is also gone and we are still waiting for the mental capacity Bill. Departmental plans have been delayed. Is it not time for the Government to come forward with a realistic strategy and stop the bluffing that is going on and the pretence that something is happening? Why did it take the Department so long to supply figures to me on the amount of money spent in this area? How much money has been spent since 2006 in the area? I reckon it is only about €490 million out of a promised €900 million. The Department of Health and Children is all over the place and is short by approximately €100 million on its spend. I only got those figures about an hour ago but I asked the questions of the Minister six months ago. There is great disparity in the figures so will the Minister of State explain them? Deputy John Moloney: I do not think there is great disparity in the funding. If the Deputy had the chance to read the renewed programme for Government, he would see that the Government has again committed to supporting the national disability strategy. Deputy David Stanton: How much? Deputy John Moloney: I will come to that. It is also important to make the point that not alone is the Government supporting it in words, it has committed to a disability strategy based on the possible effects of the recession. This has been accepted by the disability groups, most of whom I have met. On the funding, while we could not support fully the EPSEN Act fully last year, some €10 million was put specifically into services for people with disabilities. It was ring-fenced and provided 125 therapists. The figure being spoken about by the Deputy is in excess of €800 million. The requirements under the Disability Act are being met. With regard to the delay in providing the funding figures to the Deputy, it is a very busy Department that stretches across 633 groups in the disability sector. There is no device to withhold information and there is the matter of pulling that information together from the many sectors involved. Deputy David Stanton: I understand it is difficult. Will the Minister of State consider these figures and come back to me with a comprehensive and easily understood table of figures because I cannot follow the figures provided to me at all? Hundreds of millions of euro are missing. It took six months to get the figures to me, but they are still not right. Last year, €17 million in current funding that was supposed to be for disability services was handed back to the HSE and the Department of Health and Children. Why was that money not spent? Is the Government taking this matter seriously? In 2006, current spending on disability services was €71 million. The estimated out-turn for this year is €3.6 million, which shows that the budget in this area has been filleted. How will these people survive? I ask the Minister of State to take this issue by the scruff of the neck. He should give this House the information, which I asked for six months ago, in clear and comprehensible tabular form. The people in question are insisting that they are not getting the money or the services. Is it not time for the Minister of State to supply the clear information I asked for six months ago? Deputy John Moloney: Since my appointment, I have been meeting at least three or four disability groups every week. I have made it clear to them that I intend to introduce a value for money reform programme to ensure that the moneys saved in the disability sector will remain in that sector. I have also made the groups aware—— Deputy David Stanton: It is not happening. Deputy John Moloney: I am trying to respond to the Deputy in the interests of transparency and openness. I have advised all the groups that I am prepared to meet them individually in a public forum to debate these issues and answer queries like those raised by the Deputy. The disability sector will always recognise the fact that whereas the Department might not be to the fore at all times when it comes to providing money, it is to the fore when it comes to providing information. The bottom line is that I have agreed a date to meet all the groups, to explain the value for money process and, most importantly, to explain the Government’s commitment to retaining its belief in the national disability strategy. That meeting will be held sometime in the next two or three weeks. Deputy David Stanton: Will the Minister of State give the House the figures I asked for six months ago? Deputy John Moloney: I will. PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS Deputy Róisín Shortall (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of community employment participants to date in 2009 with a breakdown by their principal welfare payment. Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Deputy Dara Calleary): I am advised that at 30 October 2009 there were 22,898 people participating onCommunity Employment Schemes.A breakdown by principal welfare payment is provided in the following table: Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding that is being made available in 2009 for existing rehabilitative training programmes in counties Laois and Offaly in respect of persons with intellectual disability or autism for exiting rehabilitative training programmes; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): As the Deputy’s question related to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the placements for further development available to persons with intellectual disability or autism exiting rehabilitative training programmes; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): As the Deputy’s question related to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.
Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children her views on priority being given to school leavers with an intellectual disability or autism for funding over people exiting rehabilitative training programmes and vocational training programmes; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): As the Deputy’s question related to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply. Deputy James Reilly (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the hardship being experienced by persons with intellectual disabilities or autism in exiting rehabilitative training and vocational training programmes not being given priority for funding to allow them to attend further development programmes; 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 Seán Barrett (FG): asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if the 3% disability employment quota still pertains in the public service; the extent to which it has been taken up in the various local authorities; the steps that he proposes to take to ensure its enforcement; Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Deputy Dermot Ahern): Policy, set at 3% for the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector, remains as prescribed in Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005. Part 5 also provides the framework for monitoring the employment target in all public bodies by the establishment of committees under the aegis of relevant Ministers of the Government. The Department of Finance is responsible for monitoring the target in relation to all Government Departments and public bodies whose staff are civil servants. In the case of other public bodies the target is monitored by the parent Department. The NDA has an overall monitoring and reporting role under the Act. The employment of persons in the Local Authorities with disabilities was 3.6% in 2007. Deputy Martin Ferris (SF): asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will provide guarantees that funding for the sports inclusion development officers programme will be made available after 2010; his plans to continue the choose to move programme under the sports inclusion development programme; Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism (Deputy Martin Cullen): In 2008, special funding of €2.5 million was allocated from the dormant accounts fund for the appointment of 20 sports inclusion development officers in local sports partnerships. The officers were appointed on two-year contracts to provide opportunities for people with a disability to participate in sport and physical activity. A network of 33 local sports partnerships have been set up throughout the country by the Irish Sports Council to co-ordinate and promote sport at local level, especially among specific target groups such as older people, girls and women, people with disabilities, unemployed people and those who live in identified disadvantaged communities. The special dormant accounts funding was in addition to the annual funding provided to the local sports partnerships by the Irish Sports Council for programmes and initiatives aimed at increasing participation in recreational sport. The council has allocated €6 million to the local sports partnerships in 2009. The continuation of the sports inclusion development officer scheme from 2010 will depend on negotiations on the 2010 Estimates. Deputy Róisín Shortall (L): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will provide a breakdown of the current recipients of rent supplement by work status and those on welfare by principal welfare payment. Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Mary Hanafin): The following table shows the number of recipients of rent supplement by primary social welfare payment. A breakdown of recipients by work status is not available.
Deputy Mattie McGrath (FF): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the number of applications under the housing adaptation schemes which had to be returned to applicants due to a lack of funding both throughout the State and in south Tipperary; Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Michael Finneran): Allocations totalling €79.562 million for 2009 were notified to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older People and People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the former Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes on 7 May 2009. In the case of South Tipperary County Council, the 2009 allocation amounted to €1,530,000 compared to an initial allocation of €1,343,550 in 2008, an increase of almost 14%. While my Department has not been formally advised of any local authorities having discontinued the schemes in their areas, they are very heavily subscribed and available funding has been heavily committed in many areas. Having regard to this, and the continued priority which the Government attaches to the schemes, and following an evaluation of the ongoing level of demand for grants, the level of expenditure to date and the capacity of local authorities to process and approve additional applications in the current year, I approved a supplementary allocation of approximately €12.5 million to some 26 local authorities on 12 October, 2009. In that context, South Tipperary County Council received a supplementary allocation of €663,750, bringing its total allocation for 2009 to €2,193,750.
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Inclusion
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