asked the Minister for Health what plans, if any, his Department have for providing accommodation which is badly needed for the mentally handicapped children of County Galway.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Mentally Handicapped Children.
2.
Residential accommodation is not provided on a county basis and the special centres accept children from all areas.
There are at present schemes, under construction or in planning, which will provide about 1,400 places in the special residential centres for the mentally handicapped over the next few years. This programme of building, which includes 200 additional places in Galway, will, when completed, meet the target set by the Commission of Inquiry on Mental Handicap for residential accommodation for severely and moderately handicapped persons in need of such care.
Pending the provision of the extra places a small temporary unit for the care of severely mentally handicapped children has been provided at St. Brigid's Hospital, Ballinasloe.
The Minister seems to be fully aware of the situation but I am not satisfied that the Government are playing their part with a financial contribution towards making the necessary accommodation available immediately for these children in County Galway.
Then the Deputy has not been listening to anything I have said in the House because I have announced that there is no financial stringency imposed by the Minister for Finance on provision for mentally handicapped and that the only reasons for the delays that are occurring are the need for planning, construction and the training of teachers. I have said this in the House dozens of times in the last six months and it is time the Deputy heard it.
I am aware of the fact that the Minister spoke at the annual general meeting of the Galway mentally handicapped children's association last year. I am sorry he was not there this year because there were people there——
Will the Deputy put a question?
——who indicated quite clearly that the Government contribution towards mentally handicapped children in County Galway was not sufficient for the number of children who require attention. The Minister says he has made a lot of speeches about it and that the Department of Finance will give whatever money is necessary. In fact, you have been hedging about building a school or a hostel in Galway for quite a long time.
Question No. 3.
I have made it perfectly clear to the House that, because of the positioning of the wonderful religious orders who provide a great part of this accommodation, I cannot relate the provision of accommodation for severely and moderately handicapped children necessarily to the area in which they live. I have to live with this fact. The Opposition parties have not disagreed with the contention I make that, on the basis of the religious orders and a certain number of lay organisations, it is not possible to position the centres entirely according to the population that requires them and there will be movement of children outside an area into the extended accommodation run by religious orders. There is nothing I can do about it. I do not believe there is anything any Minister could do about it.
Question No. 3.
Is the Minister——
I am calling Question No. 3. Would Deputy Donnellan allow me to go on to his next question?
May I put one further supplementary?
The Deputy has already put supplementaries. Question No. 3.
May I take it from what the Minister has said that if a request comes from the association for mentally handicapped in County Galway for assistance towards the financing of a project to alleviate this problem it will be sanctioned?
Question No. 3.
I will consider any request but it has to be related on the general programme to how you spread and organise the centres.
3.
asked the Minister for Health the total State contribution towards mentally handicapped children in County Galway; and if he will give an itemised account of the contribution.
If the question is taken as relating to mentally handicapped persons under the age of 16 years it is estimated that the amount of State grant payable from the Vote for my Department in respect of 1971-72 is £49,500. This represents the amount recouped to the Western Health Board in respect of expenditure incurred by the board on Galway patients by way of payments to the voluntary bodies providing the service.