Personalised budgets for disabilities
Micheál Martin pressed the Taoiseach on the programme commitment to establish a task force and pilot personalised budgets for people with disabilities. The Taoiseach said the task force had been established and pilots had been run, but implementation was difficult because funding must shift from existing providers.
There is a lengthy section in the programme for Government on disability objectives and legislation. Focusing on one area, it states:
Personalised budgets provide an individual with more control in accessing services, giving them greater independence and choice. We will devolve budgets to the person so that they may shop beyond traditional service providers to better fit their needs. To do so, we will establish a Taskforce within 3 months on the implementation of personalised budgets for persons with disabilities. Core to this Taskforce will be:
- The adoption of a single national coherent application system to develop budgets before end 2017
- The adoption of a single national coherent system of accountability for the spend
- Exploring brokerage models...
- Actively monitoring practice, usage and trends....
We are now in October 2017. Will the Taoiseach update the House on progress in the establishment of the task force and its work, as outlined, all of which is to happen before the end of 2017?
Comment on this
I will have to ask the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to give the Deputy a full update, but-----
Comment on this
Yet again the Taoiseach is not on top of his brief.
Comment on this
To the best of my knowledge and recollection, the task force has been established and a personalised budgeting scheme has been piloted on a number of occasions. It is a tricky and difficult process because, essentially, it does not just involve giving an individual a personal account which he or she can use to purchase services he or she wants. It means taking money from the service provider who previously received it for the individuals involved.
Comment on this
That is what the Government stated it would do. That is the policy.
Comment on this
We had a Cabinet sub-committee meeting specifically dealing with disability matters last week. The task force has already been established and the budget has been piloted-----
Comment on this
The Taoiseach might send me a detailed note on it.