Kathleen Funchion demands clarity on reopening disability day services

So first of all I'm delighted to have the opportunity to raise this and I know I just want to briefly mention some of my colleagues that also have been campaigning on this Deputy Donnelly, Sirika Clarke, Raida Cronin, Louise O'Reilly, Pa Daly, Darren O'Rourke and Deputy O'Leary because a number of us have put this in and we just I suppose were the lucky names to come out. Minister we're just looking for clarity in relation to the adult day services and the reopening it is a little bit ad hoc at the moment in terms of some services seem to have resumed many have not and obviously there is an issue then about them resuming at full capacity so you're probably aware there's a protest tomorrow outside here at 12 30 by the Enough is Enough group and they're obviously extremely passionate about this issue and it really is unfair to think that people with a disability are being overlooked in terms of the reopening of their very valuable day service and I want to know if there is additional funding going to be made available to reopen these services because obviously like all workplaces and like we've just had a discussion on schools there'll be a need for extra staff there'll be a need for extra cleaning staff and there'll be a need for very practical changes in terms of perspex and all the rest of it around social distancing and you're probably looking at some buildings that are very old at this stage so we will definitely need upgrades so I'm wondering if there is additional funding to be made available and if you can comment on that and maybe when that will be made available and what is the actual plan for the reopening of all services I know some places are running a reduced service of maybe only a couple of hours and these are some people would have had 30 hours a week so it's obviously a massive drop and it's going to have a knock-on effect on in carers in terms of respite and in carers who might be working as well and juggling other responsibilities so I would just like to see what exactly is going to happen with the reopening of the day service I want to thank Deputy Function and her colleagues for bringing this important issue and for giving me the opportunity to outline the position in relation to the resumption of services for adults with disabilities I have confirmed with Deputy Function's office earlier today that this question relates to day services for adults specifically since disability day services closed in March as per public health advice it has been especially challenging for those vulnerable members members members of our society the HSE have been planning for the resumption of adults disability day services since the middle of May a group of representatives of families service providers and other relevant stakeholders were convened and tasked with the development of a resumption plan the roadmap that you talked about guidance to support the resumption of the services was published that roadmap was published on the 8th of July and and sent to all the service providers and sent to all the service providers adult day services will gradually resume during the month of August service providers are working to get day services ready to reopen safely and in line with public health guidance it is up to each individual of which there's 966 individual service providers to pinpoint their reopening date and most service providers should already have been in contact in touch with families at this point it is expected that the services will reopen during August and neither the department nor the HSE have been informed by any services that they will will be later than this uncertainty is not acceptable for the services for the service users or their families and it only adds to the mounting stress they're already under to make the reopening process more transparent for service users I myself asked the HSE to create a web portal that would clearly outline when each service will reopen the number of users that will be able to avail the service on a daily basis and what alternative care plans will be put in place services have been asked to inform the HSE of this information later on today as seeing as we're here after 12 o'clock tonight it's later on today the information from all the 966 disability services day services will be then collated and posted on to the HSE new directions webpage as of from the 4th of August while a full reopening of the full reopening of the full reopening of the full reopening of services is ideal COVID-19 has not gone away and we cannot put lives at risk as the services reopen safety is paramount page as of from August 4. While a full reopening of services is ideal, COVID-19 has not gone away and we cannot put lives at risk as the services reopen. Safety is paramount and we must protect our most vulnerable and this means all COVID safety guidelines must be followed. Unfortunately, this means that capacity in day services will be reduced. For the foreseeable future, supports provided from service users' homes and remote supports will become a key feature of day service provision. However, the HSE is committed to maximising the support that they can provide within COVID-19 restrictions and providers are exploring options such as other community facilities to increase the capacity. The safety and wellbeing of people with disabilities is my utmost priority during the resumption of services. Where families are experiencing significant challenges and there are many, where there is an emergency, the HSE and the providers will work together to assist and support those families to the greatest possible extent. I genuinely want to acknowledge the many challenges experienced by individuals and their families over this very difficult time. Adult day services are a very important support service to 19,000 people with disability who attend them on a regular basis for them and their families. They will now have a certainty that services will be reopening, reassurance that they will be guided by public health guidelines and I would encourage individuals and their families to keep in touch with their service provider. Thank you. Thank you Minister. Thank you Minister. Thank you Minister. I appreciate what you are saying here about services are expected to reopen in August and in September and that would be very welcome. I am just wondering, and also as well where you say that there will be a portal that people can clearly see which services are reopened, that would be welcome. But in the COVID committee on the 17th of July, we were told that some services may not open until December or January. I am just wondering where that information might be coming from and also a lot of people that are contacting, not just me but probably contacting, like everybody would have had queries in relation to this, don't seem to have had contact. So I am just wondering what advice you would have for people, like if you are saying you haven't been told anyone is opening later than August or September and if people still haven't heard from their service or are being told it will be later, like for example December or January, what can people and families do in that situation? What practical advice can we give them? And also if you can address the issue of additional funding, because that will be needed. I mean we all know it was an underfunded sector anyway and additional funding is needed well before COVID, but can you just give a clear answer in relation to additional funding? Thanks. Thank you Deputy Fund. I agree with the deputies, more clarity should have been more forthcoming earlier on, that there is no denying about it. In relation to the COVID committee, which where some of the queries came from, the Department of Health contacted and through Bernard O'Regan last week, they made contact with that commentary and that commentary could not be backed up and my understanding is they are actually going to write to the COVID committee because they couldn't reference point any of the services that fell into that. So there is clarity has been sought on that and a correction of the records within the COVID committee. Since being appointed as Minister for Disability, I have visited several disability services and only today I was in St Joseph's in Charleville and have seen firsthand the massive positive initiatives developed to continue to provide services to people with disabilities over the last few months. I must emphasise that there is an increased risk of infection for some people with disabilities. We are talking about adult services and they and their families must have confidence that their services will be safe to return to for both themselves and the staff. And we now have a robust guidance needed to reopen these essential services and reassure people of this. The need of engagement with service users and their families has been reinforced yet again. And that's why I'm able to say here this evening, the portal when it is launched on the 4th of August will really bring clarity. So within that portal, parents and service users, they will see actually when their service will open, what capacity is going to open it for and actually when you see the capacity of where it won't be able to reach 40%, 50%, 60%, that then it's clearly been identified later on today. All the service providers will have written back into the department and will have told them their actual funding shortfall in order to achieve 50%, 60% or 100%. So that is going to be correlated by the department later on over the coming days. And I will be able then provide you work with a figure on that. Thank you. Thank you.