Health Service Executive funded specialist community-based disability services are delivered to about 56,000 people or 9% of those with a disability. Policy functions and funding responsibility relating to specialist community-based disability services (SCBDS) will transfer to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (MCEDIY), and the responsibility for the delivery of these services will be retained within the Health Service Executive.
The Department of Health is committed to commencing the transfer as soon as possible.
While details pertaining to the transfer are being finalised, commitments currently residing with the Minister for Health, such as the Disability Action Plan, will be progressed as normal in the Department of Health until such time as the transfer of specialist disability function to Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in concluded. Following the of the transfer of functions, overall responsibility for workforce planning in health services will remain within the purview of the Department of Health, with appropriate co-operation and input from myself and the Department of Children, Equality, Integration and Youth with regard to disability services.