Page 58 of the programme for Government refers to capacity with respect to an emergency disability fund. My HSE area was allocated €1.5 million at the beginning of the year to address cases where people with a disability could be moved out of acute care to rehabilitative care. Unfortunately, this fund was exhausted in a very short time. I have been dealing with the case of a 29 year old man with a disability who has been occupying an acute bed for almost four months after being discharged from hospital. His acute care is completed but due to his disability he is unable to return home. A residential rehabilitative care programme has been identified and organised. All he is waiting for is instruction from the HSE to proceed. I understand there is no funding available to deal with this case. It is economic foolishness to have a young man taking up an acute bed. Funding needs to be put in place immediately for an emergency disability fund.

The Deputy has made the case. That would be a question for the Minister or a Minister of State at the Department of Health.

No. I do not know the details of the case so I will have to ask the Minister responsible to respond to the Deputy.