Health boards are resourced by my Department to discharge their statutory responsibilities under the Child Care Act, 1991, and under other relevant legislation. Since taking office in 1997, the Government has allocated an additional £29.5 million in revenue funding for child care services. The £15 million allocated this year is the largest amount allocated in a single year since the Child Care Act was passed. The Eastern Health Board has received a greater than pro rata share of these additional resources because of the wider range of issues to which it has to respond.
Resourcing decisions are made against the background of regular contacts between officials of my Department and officials of the health boards. In the case of the Eastern Health Board, the board, in discussions with my officials, has highlighted problems in recruiting and retaining staff as a constraint in providing services, but the availability of resources has not been identified as a serious constraint in this area. It is a matter for each health board to manage its services to ensure their effective and efficient delivery. I will ask the Eastern Health Board to provide information to the Deputy in regard to the detail of his query which relates to operational issues which are the responsibility of the board.