APRIL 02 2008

Dáil Debates

• National Carers Strategy

Parliamentary Questions

• Occupational Therapists
• Health Service Staff
• Services for people with an intellectual disability in Ballinalsoe
• Compensation and social welfare
• Third Level Education and Financial Supports

DÁIL DEBATES

• National Carers Strategy

Deputy Olwyn Enright (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress made to date on the development of a national carers strategy which was supposed to be published by the end of 2007; when this will be completed;

Deputy Martin Cullen (Minister for Social and Family Affairs): The development of a national carers strategy is a key Government commitment in the national partnership agreement, Towards 2016, and the programme for Government. The focus of the strategy is on supporting informal and family carers in the community. While social welfare supports for carers are a key issue in the strategy, other issues such as access to respite and other services, education, training and employment are also important. Co-operation between relevant Departments and agencies is essential if the provision of services, supports and entitlements for carers is to be fully addressed. For this reason, an interdepartmental working group has been established to develop the strategy. My Department provides the secretariat to the working group which is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach. The group also includes representatives from the Departments of Finance, Health and Children and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, FA´ S and the Health Service Executive. Developing the strategy involves consultation with other Departments and Government bodies not represented on the working group. Yesterday, my Department hosted a consultation meeting with several organisations including the Equality Authority, Combat Poverty Agency, Citizens Information Board, Pobal, the Family Support Agency, NESC, the National Council on Ageing and Older People, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Further meetings will be held with other organisations in the near future. A request for submissions from the public was published in regional newspapers during the week beginning 3 March 2008 and in the national daily papers on Friday, 7 March; it is also on the front page of my Department’s website. Representative groups and the social partners have been advised of this process. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 18 April 2008 and, to date, 35 submissions have been received. A meeting was held on 23 January 2008, in line with my Department’s commitment in Towards 2016 to hosting an annual consultation meeting of carer representative groups and relevant Departments and agencies. Representatives of 12 groups and nine Departments and other government agencies attended. The theme was the national carers strategy and groups were given an opportunity to comment on the draft terms of reference and to raise other issues considered relevant in the context of the strategy. Key issues raised at the meeting were recognition for carers and their work, accessing suitable health services, income support, pensions and access to training and employment. Another meeting with carer groups will be held when the results of the consultation process are available. The commitment to the development of a national carers strategy includes a commitment to appropriate consultation with the social partners. An update on the strategy was provided to the social partners plenary session in February. It is intended that the first consultation meeting with the social partners will be held in April.

Deputy Olwyn Enright: The Minister is probably aware of and does not need me to point out that every week 161,000 carers are doing 3.5 million hours of work and saving the State more than €2 billion per annum. As the Minister stated in his response, I appreciate that widespread consultation is taking place within Departments and State agencies. However, my concern relates to consultation with the groups representing the carers themselves and this is a key part of the process. As a result of discussions with various people and as confirmed in the Minister’s response, I am aware there is no representative from the carers group on the interdepartmental panel which is steering the strategy. Will the Minister say what level of consultation will be conducted with the relevant stakeholders? I appreciate the involvement of the State agencies but I am referring to groups such as the Carers Association, which is the representative body of the people dealing with this area first-hand. The Minister will recall that this time last year public meetings were held around the country in every constituency prior to the election. Both the Minister and I saw for ourselves how representative the association is of its membership, considering the number of people who turned out to speak at those meetings. It is important that the process allows them to be much more involved. There is genuine concern that there has not been sufficient and appropriate consultation up to now and that a document will be presented as a fait accompli without consultation prior to the document. I ask the Minister to address this issue.

Deputy Martin Cullen: As the Deputy said, there has been a very substantial public engagement on this issue and all the groups informed us that there was no need to repeat that process. There is direct engagement with all of the stakeholders on the development of this process and particularly with those representing the carers, such as the National Carers Association. Those representatives have also made substantial submissions which will be considered and discussed with them as we come to a conclusion. I presume the Deputy notes from my reply that substantial engagement is now taking place on this issue and it is one of my priorities to reach agreement on the national carers strategy and to have it published and made public. This is a priority not just for the Government, but also figures as a priority for the social partners in Towards 2016. It is an area to which the Government has given significant commitment over the past number of years, particularly in terms of direct resources to those who are caring for people in whatever circumstances they find themselves. We have made direct financial State assistance much more flexible and accessible for people. We have also become much more flexible in terms of allowing people to do some work as well as being deemed full-time carers. I agree with the Deputy on the importance of completing this process and it is my intention that it will be completed this year. I have indicated that the closing date for submissions is April this year and at that stage I hope we can finalise the report and complete any further discussions with any of the representative groups that need to be completed. I assure the Deputy that I want to it to be an inclusive process.

Deputy Olwyn Enright: That is not really what I want a commitment on. The National Carers Association will make a submission but it wants a guarantee there will be feedback on that submission and that it is not just taken on board and the document published. If the Minister’s Department has difficulties with anything in the submission the association hopes there will be discussion about it rather than an item being either ruled in or out and the document published. The association wants real and active engagement and consultation. I ask the Minister to give a commitment that this is what will happen.

Deputy Martin Cullen: Obviously it is my intention and that of my officials to have as inclusive a process as possible. When one comes to the end of a process, it is clear one is not able to accommodate every single wish of every submission and decisions will need to be made, but they will be made on the basis of what people have said, how the system is working and what is needed for the future development of a national carers strategy. I was asked about young carers. My colleague, the Minister of State with responsibilty for children, will specifically examine a strategy in the context of young carers, surrounding whom I accept there are also specific issues. We also look forward to its completion.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Occupational Therapists

Deputy Seán Sherlock (L): asked the Minister for Health and Children the breakdown of the number of occupational therapist positions waiting to be filled nationally; the steps she is taking to meet the shortage in occupational therapists;

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): Demand for occupational therapy in the health services has been significant, hence the substantial investment which has been provided over the last number of years. The number of occupational therapists employed in the public health service has grown from 287 wholetime equivalents in 1997 to 1,025 in December 2007. This is an increase of 738 wholetime equivalents in that period which represents a growth of 257%. The Government has also committed to further investment in health services, such as disability, primary care and older persons services and this will result in a further increase in the occupational therapy resources available. A particular priority for the Department and the Department of Education and Science in recent years has been the expansion of the supply of therapy graduates, including occupational therapists. Additional courses in occupational therapy were established in UCC, NUIG and UL with an initial intake of 25 places on each of the 3 courses. The UL course is at Masters level and the courses in UCC and NUIG are bachelor degree programmes. The number of training places for occupational therapists has increased by 86 from 29 in 1997 to 115 in 2007. This represents an increase of almost 297% in the past ten years. In relation to the breakdown of the number of occupational therapist positions waiting to be filled nationally, the Deputy will be aware that it is a matter for the Health Service 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. The Executive is the appropriate body to consider the matter raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

• Health Service Staff

Deputy Bernard Allen (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on a recent Health Service Executive report which states that it needs an additional 1,863 full-time equivalent health staff to fulfil the service targets outlined in its national health plan 2008; the action she will take in relation to this matter; and the projected cost of the target.

Minister for Health and Children (Deputy Mary Harney): An overall employment ceiling of 112,560 whole time equivalents has been set for the public health services for 2008. This level of employment provides for 1,050 additional new posts arising from development funding provided by the Government in the Budget Day package for 2008. Following consideration of the requirements to deliver the priorities identified by Government in the Budget package, 1050 posts have been approved for 2008. A breakdown of these development posts is provided as follows.

The filling of the above development posts are to be managed by the HSE within the employment control framework for the health services and its own circular issued in January 2008 which sets out revised arrangements for the filling of all posts, including development posts in 2008. Furthermore, the service plan monitoring process will outline details of the implementation of these service developments including funding allocation and staffing.

• Services for people with an intellectual disability in Ballinalsoe

Deputy Denis Naughten (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children the additional funding provided in 2008 for the development of services for persons with an intellectual disability in the Ballinasloe area; the funding allocated for services in Ballinasloe in 2006, 2007 and 2008;

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy Jimmy Devins): As part of the Multi-Annual Investment Programme 2006-2009 under the Disability Strategy, the Government provided the Health Service Executive with an additional €75m in both 2006 and 2007. This funding included monies to provide new and enhanced services for people with disabilities, to implement Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005, which came into effect on June 1st 2007 for the under 5’s and also for the continuation of the implementation of the transfer of persons with intellectual disability from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements. The Government is also honouring its promise in relation to the Multi-Annual Investment Programme for people with disabilities, with a further €50m investment which was announced in the 2008 Budget. The Deputy’s question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have these matters investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

• Compensation and social welfare

Deputy Michael Creed (FG): asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will clarify the treatment of compensation awards made by the Courts for persons with a disability under the social welfare code;

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Deputy Martin Cullen): Disability allowance is the principal means tested social assistance payment available from my Department for persons with disabilities. As is the case with all social assistance payments, disability allowance is subject to a means test. For the purposes of assessing means, the proceeds of court awards are treated as capital. Since June 2007, the following method has applied to the assessment of capital for disability allowance—

1. the first €50,000 of capital is disregarded in full;capital between €50,000 and €60,000 is assessed on the basis of €1 weekly means for each €1,000 of capital;capital between €60,000 and €70,000 is assessed on the basis of €2 weekly means for each €1,000 of capital;
2. and capital above €70,000 is assessed on the basis of €4 weekly means for each €1,000 of capital.

Under these arrangements, a single person is able to have capital of up to €111,999 and still qualify for a minimum payment of disability allowance. In addition, any compensation payment is disregarded in full in the means assessment for disability allowance when awarded:

1. by the Compensation Tribunal established by the Minister for Health on 15 December, 1995, the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal established under section 3 of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal Act 1997, the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal established under section 2 of the Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2002, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, to compensate certain persons who have contracted Hepatitis C or Human Immunodeficiency Virus within the State from the use of Human Immunoglobulin — Anti-D, whole blood or other blood products,by the Residential Institutions Redress Board established under section 3 of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 to persons who have disabilities caused by Thalidomide, or
2. under the provisions of the Health (Repayment Scheme) Act 2006 to a relevant person (within the meaning of that Act).

• Third Level Education and Financial Supports

Deputy Joanna Tuffy (L): asked the Minister for Education and Science the financial assistance a person can apply for who attends a third level course, in addition to the higher education grants scheme;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Mary Hanafin): My Department funds three means-tested maintenance grant schemes for third level education students in respect of attendance on approved courses in approved third level institutions:

1. The Higher Education Grants Scheme;The Vocational Education Committees’ Scholarship Schemes;
2. The Third Level Maintenance Grants Scheme for Trainees.

Also under the terms of my Department’s Free Fees Initiative the exchequer meets the tuition fees of full-time eligible students. The main conditions are that students must (a) be first-time undergraduates; (b) hold E.U. nationality: and (c) have been ordinarily resident in an E.U. Member State for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Students with official refugee status in State and who have three years residency in the State (from official date of lodgement of application for refugee status) may also be considered under the Free Fees Initiative. Eligibility is determined at date of entry to the course of study. In addition to these schemes the National Development Plan 2007-2013 provides for a Third Level Access Fund. A key goal of the National Development Plan 2007-2013 is to widen participation and increase student and graduate numbers at third level. The Fund for Students with Disabilities, the Student Assistance Fund and the Millennium Partnership Fund, co-financed by the Government and the European Social Fund, form part of a strategy to achieve this goal. The three funding programmes are administered on behalf of my Department by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education (National Access Office), with assistance from Pobal in relation to the Millennium Partnership Fund. The Fund for Students with Disabilities aims to assist students with disabilities in third-level institutions and PLC colleges to participate in further and higher education. Grants are provided for students who have serious sensory, physical and/or communicative disabilities. Applications for funding should be made by the Disability/Access Officer in the Institution, or by the Principal in a PLC college. Students should discuss their particular disability, and equipment or services required, with their institution/PLC College. In third level institutions there is a Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The objective of the SAF is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons, suffer severe hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies. Applications for funding should be made by the individual student to the Access Officer in their institution. The SAF is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis. The final initiative under the Third Level Access Fund is the Millennium Partnership Fund for Disadvantage. The objective of this Fund is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further or higher education courses. Partnership Companies and Community Groups manage the fund locally. Under the fund, eligible actions may include the following but will be dependent on the individual Partnership or CommunityGroup:

• Financial supports to meet student participation costs;Provision of information, e.g. guidance and mentoring;
• Study supports including tuition, study skills.

Students may contact their local Area Partnership Company or Community Group for assistance (a list of the Partnerships and Community Groups is available from the Higher Education — Equity of Access Area of my Department). As outlined in the current NDP and Towards 2016, these three funds will remain important elements of the Government’s overall strategy to alleviate educational disadvantage and to promote social inclusion.