Plan to move disabled out of institutions will take decades

Government plans to move up to 4,000 people with intellectual disabilities out of outdated institutions within a six-year period are likely to take decades based on current trends, internal records show.

Under a policy announced in 2011, the Government and health authorities pledged to close unsuitable “congregated settings” within a seven-year period and move individuals into smaller group homes with personal supports.

This followed a major report commissioned by the Health Service Executive which found thousands of vulnerable people people living isolated lives, lacking in basic privacy and dignity.

Department of Environment housing records released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act show just 90 individuals out of a target of 300 have been transferred into community-based settings with supports over the past two years.

In addition, a significant portion of State funding – €700,000 out of a €2 million “de-institutionalisation” budget – ended up being returned to the exchequer between 2013 and 2014.

Responding to the figures, Brian O’Donnell of the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies, which represents most service providers, said the process of closing down outdated institutions was now likely to take up to 20 years, based on current trends.

He said that while providing community-based accommodation with the right support for individuals was complex and challenging for policymakers and service providers, more funding was urgently needed.

“It takes resources and hard work. I would call on the Government to increase resources if we want to make meaningful inroads into this challenge,” he said.

Paddy Connolly of Inclusion Ireland, the main representative group for people with intellectual disabilities, said the figures showed there was "no real Government commitment" to move people from "demeaning institutions".

“The idea that you can relocate 4,000 people who have spent at least two decades in care without significant investment is simply wrong,” said Mr Connolly, the group’s chief executive.

Key role

He said a failure to invest in the right supports for people being rehoused in the community would result in the process itself becoming abusive.

The HSE, which plays a key role in the de-institutionalisation process, has defended its record on the basis that moving individuals out of these settings was not its sole responsibility, but a collaborative one shared between people with disabilities, their families and carers, service providers, Government and wider society.

A new report, meanwhile, has indicated that more than 700 people with disabilities are benefitting from individualised supports .

The Next Steps report – involving 14 service providers under the umbrealla of the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies – highlights progress in supporting people with disabilities to live a life of their choosing.

It shows many individuals have moved into a range of community settings of their choice, using housing support and rent supplement.

Mr O’Donnell said service providers had managed to move towards a greater emphasis on individualised supports, despite budget cuts.

“They way we are funded, by way of block grants, tends to encourage a one-size-fits-all approach,” he said. “This is a movement away from that and its trying to reach each person as an individual and identifying their goals in life.”

But he warned the process was being challenged by the “burden of compliance” linked to the Health Information and Quality Authority’s (Hiqa) regulatory requirements.

In addition, he estimated the cost of alone of complying with all standards for service providers was in the region of €54 million.

A series of recent Hiqa reports have raised major concerns over the welfare and safety of people with disabilities in a range of institutions run by the HSE and voluntary service providers.