May 25 2010

Dáil Debates

• Adjournment Debate: Cuts to services in Limerick

Parliamentary Questions

• Specifications for fit out for a post-primary special needs unit for students with autism
• Waiting times for social welfare payments
• Number of recipients of social welfare allowances
• Housing Grants in Clare

DÁIL DEBATES

• Adjournment Debate: Cuts to services in Limerick

Deputy John Cregan (FF): I wish to thank the Ceann Comhairle’s office for facilitating me in raising this important issue, which concerns not alone my constituency but many others throughout the country. I am a member of the Government party and have voted for various adjustments and cutbacks that were deemed necessary in the past few years. I did so because I felt it was the right thing to do at the time. I am not coming back as a hypocrite to say that we should not have done so and that we now want to give more money to these people. I am simply asking the Government to examine this particular sector of our society. From time to time and for different reasons, we describe various sections as being vulnerable. Unlike manyMembers of this House, these people are not able-bodied and have a difficult path in life. I have been contacted recently by the parents of those who are attending the Brothers of Charity in Newcastle West, St. Joseph’s Foundation in Charleville, St. Vincent’s in Lisnagry and other such facilities in my constituency. There is grave concern about plans that may have to be adopted in the coming months. In the past few years, unfortunately, budgets have had to be reduced in this particular sector. Despite this they were able to carry on and made the most of it. They did their best and, to be fair to them, they are providing a wonderful service. Nonetheless, I am concerned about the current situation. We are facing into another difficult budget and will have to examine all sectors of society to see where savings can be made. We are spending a huge amount of money in our health service. Some years ago, the House decided to give a budget to the HSE, which is responsible for operating those services. The people to whom I have referred are dependent on judgment calls by the HSE as to the amount of funding they will receive at any given time. Sometimes I have to wonder when I see moneys being spent in other ways, of which we are all well aware, while parts of the health service must put up with very limited budgets. Adults and children who use the services provided by the Brothers of Charity have been advised that, from September, the canteen will close, so they will have to bring packed lunches instead. That really disturbs me, as it does also the parents of those involved. Many of those parents are aged and have genuine concerns because they want to give the best to their sons and daughters. They want to ensure that when they pass on to their eternal reward, the necessary services will be there to look after their children in comfort and dignity. That is very important. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Connick, for attending the House to reply to this Adjournment matter. We are talking about a very vulnerable group who have suffered quite enough through their disabilities. I, for one, do not want to see them being asked to bring a packed lunch to their schools or workshops. Surely to God we can find the necessary funding to give them that comfort. We must also support their parents who are anxious for their children to be looked after in a dignified and reasonable way.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Deputy Seán Connick): I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. I thank Deputy Cregan for raising this matter and I am pleased to take this opportunity to outline the position on the funding of the Brothers of Charity services in Limerick. I would like to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to the national disability strategy and its long-term goals and objectives, which we will continue to pursue in the coming years in partnership with all the stakeholders. Government policy and best practice recognise that clients and service users need to be at the centre of service delivery. On an ongoing basis, we are examining the way in which services are currently delivered to ensure that people with disabilities are provided with the best possible services in an efficient and appropriate manner. The Government has an ongoing commitment to provide high-quality services to all people with a disability through the national disability strategy, which has the objective of putting in place the most effective combination of legislation, policies, institutional arrangements and services to support and reinforce equal participation for people with disabilities. The national disability strategy is the framework currently being used to enact positive action measures to support the participation of people with disabilities in Irish society. The Government’s commitment in the areas of disability and mental health is consistent. Overall, approximately €1.6 billion is spent annually by the health services on disability programmes, including residential, day care, respite, assessments and rehabilitation services.  In recent years, significant additional resources have been provided for services and supports in this area. The multi-annual investment programme 2006-09, which is a key component of the Government’s disability strategy, had by the end of 2008 provided for approximately 804 new residential places, 307 new respite places and 1,863 new day places for the intellectual disability service. In addition, it had provided 275 new residential places, and 911,626 extra home care-personal assistance hours for people with physical and sensory disabilities. Regarding the matter raised by the Deputy, I wish to inform the House that the Health Service Executive has advised the Minister for Health and Children that it is very much aware of the valuable contribution the Brothers of Charity services make to the provision of services to people with intellectual disabilities in Limerick. The HSE is also aware of the challenges service providers, including the Brothers of Charity, are experiencing this year. The achievement of further efficiencies in disability services in 2010 requires that savings in funding to non-statutory providers, including the Brothers of Charity, are planned to ensure that there is a consistency of approach nationally, with the loss of front line services avoided as far as possible. The reduction in the 2010 cash allocation identified relates to staff pay reductions in line with national guidelines; the Government moratorium on recruitment; and a minimum of a 2% efficiency saving to be applied to non-front line services. The latter include, for example, nonpay expenditure, transport costs, rationalising management structures, merging service functions and merging service providers, without impacting on users of front line services. The HSE has advised that the approach taken is compatible with, and informed by, the aims and objectives of the value for money and policy review in disability services, currently being led by the Office of Disabilities and Mental Health. As a consequence of the introduction of cost containment and efficiency measures in the 2010 budget, it is understood that the HSE advised all the agencies providing services on its behalf, of their financial allocations for 2010 and the required adjustments. The HSE plans to maintain access to appropriate treatments and services for clients during 2010 despite the current resource pressures. The HSE is aware of the challenges which this reduction in allocations will present to organisations in ensuring that they meet the needs of service users, and in planning for emergencies that arise throughout the year. It also recognises that maintaining service levels within available resources will require significant levels of co-operation, change, flexibility and creativity. All disability service providers in the Limerick area have been requested to advise and discuss, with HSE management, challenges they are experiencing, prior to cuts or changes to service provision being implemented. There are also plans to develop a local forum of all service providers — both physical and sensory, and intellectual disability — with a focus on the needs of service users now and in the future. The HSE is aware of the challenge for the Brothers of Charity to maintain existing service levels and to respond to the respite needs of service users. While the Brothers of Charity have applied significant changes to front line services, in many cases these changes have not necessarily resulted in service reduction, but in a different model of service delivery being applied. The HSE will continue to work in partnership with the Brothers of Charity in dealing with issues that arise from service cuts, to ensure that the needs of service users are prioritized and addressed.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Specifications for fit out for a post-primary special needs unit for students with autism

Deputy Joan Burton (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if there is a specific document setting out the specifications for the internal fit out for a post-primary special needs unit for students with autistic spectrum disorder; if there is a specific document setting out the specifications for the internal fit out for the multisensory room in the SNU; the procedure for accessing a grant for a multisensory room; if there is a specific document setting out the specifications for the external fit out for the play area for this SNU.

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not fund the provision of play equipment for children. Furthermore, due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive it is not possible for the Executive to supply the additional information requested. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course. 

• Waiting times for social welfare payments

Deputy Joanna Tuffy (L): asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time for the processing of applications across each social welfare payment; the way this compares with 2010 targets; and the action he is taking to reduce waiting times.

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív): I have made available to the House two tables showing details of performance targets and average processing times for all schemes. Table 1 sets out the target performance standard and the performance achieved for each scheme in the month of April 2010 and the average number of weeks taken to process each claim type. Details of cases currently on appeal and average appeals processing times are detailed in Table 2. Table 2 sets out the number of appeal cases pending in each of the schemes at end April 2010 and the average number of weeks taken to process appeals in each scheme in 2009. In relation to the cases under appeal it should be noted that the back to education scheme and the household benefits schemes are non statutory and therefore are not appealable. The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. To this end, operational processes and procedures and the organisation of work are reviewed in all areas of the Department. These reviews are supported by modern technology, the potential of which is continuously harnessed. Claims are processed in the most efficient and expeditious way possible, having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply to each scheme. Processing times vary across schemes because of both the volume of applications and the differing qualification criteria. For example, means assessments are required for all of the social assistance schemes; medical examinations are required for some of the illness related schemes and customers must also satisfy the habitual residence conditions. In the case of the insurance based schemes, it may be necessary to ascertain details of foreign insurance records. It should also be noted that many factors outside the Department’s control can impact upon claim processing times e.g. the supply of relevant information by the customer, employers, other EU countries or other third parties. While every effort is made to decide on entitlement for any individual person as close to their eligibility date as possible, there are cases where delays will necessarily be experienced. In situations where customers find themselves suffering financial hardship while awaiting such a decision, the facility to receive supplementary welfare allowance funded by the Department and administered by the Health Service Executive is available. In April 2010 more than 96% of basic SWA applications were decided on and paid within a week.

Table 1: DSFA New Claims Processing Targets 2010 and Performance April 2010

Table 2: Appeals Pending Decision by Scheme Type at 30/4/2010  & Average Time Taken To Process Appeals in 2009

• Number of recipients of social welfare allowances

Deputy Leo Varadkar (FG): asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the living alone allowance; the cost of same in each of the past ten years; if he will provide a breakdown in numbers of recipients by contributory pensioner, non-contributory pensioner, widowed pensioner, incapacity recipient or disability allowance recipient, invalidity pensioner and blind pension and by age, the total number 66 years or older and 65 years or younger;

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív): I have attached a tabular statement showing the expenditure on living alone allowance by each scheme and a second tabular statement showing the number of recipients of living alone allowance by the primary scheme of the recipient. A breakdown of Widow/er’s Contributory Pension by age is not available while Disability Allowance is not payable after age 65.

Expenditure for Living Alone Allowance Relating to the following Schemes 2000 to 2009.

  (1) Retirement Pension is not included with State Pension Contributory prior to 2007.(2) In September 2006 Persons in receipt of Widow/er’s Non-Contributory Pension and Blind Pension aged over 65 switched to State Pension Non-Contributory.(3) Living Alone Allowance was introduced for Invalidity Pensioners under 66 on 5th April 2001. Recipients of Invalidity Pension aged over 65 switched to State Pension Contributory from September 2006.(4) Living Alone Allowance was introduced for persons on Disability Allowance in April 2001.270 

Recipients of Living Alone Allowance Relating to the following Schemes 2000 to 2009.

  (1) Retirement Pension is not included with State Pension Contributory prior to 2007.(2) In September 2006 Persons in receipt of Widow/er’s Non-Contributory Pension and Blind Pension aged over 65 switched to State Pension Non-Contributory.(3) Living Alone Allowance was introduced for Invalidity Pensioners under 66 on 5th April 2001. Recipients ofInvalidity Pension aged over 65 switched to State Pension Contributory from September 2006.(4) Living Alone Allowance was introduced for persons on Disability Allowance in April 2001. 

• Housing Grants in Clare

Deputy Pat Breen (FG): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the funding provided to Clare County Council under the housing adaption grant for people with a disability scheme in each of the past five years to 2009; the amount allocated for2010; the number of houses in County Clare adapted under this scheme in each of those years; the number that will be adapted under the scheme in Clare in 2010

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 Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. The grant schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The new suite of grants replaced the discontinued Disabled Persons Grant Scheme, the Essential Repairs Grant Scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme, administered by the Health Service Executive. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed to each of the various grant measures from within the allocations notified to them by my Department and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within their allocation. Details of the annual Exchequer allocations to Clare County Council and the number of grants paid under each scheme for the period 2005 to 2009 are set out in the table below. Data for 2005 and 2006 relate to the discontinued Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes. Data for 2007 onwards include the new Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability, the Housing Aid for Older People and the Mobility Aids Grant Schemes.

Suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability

 On 5 March 2010 my Department notified Clare County Council of an Exchequer allocation of €2.5 million for the grant schemes this year.

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