andMr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Health if he will state the conditions for the granting of a handicapped children's allowance.
21.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aid for Handicapped.
20.
andMr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in receipt of the handicapped children's allowance.
22.
andMr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in each county in receipt of the handicapped children's allowance.
23.
andMr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Health by whom the decision is taken to grant a handicapped children's allowance.
24.
asked the Minister for Health why the scheme of grants for handicapped persons obtaining special home attention announced in 1973 is not being implemented in full.
25.
asked the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to put into effect the proposal for a domiciliary allowance to the parents of mentally handicapped children.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 to 25, inclusive, together and, as the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, to circulate it with the Official Report. The information in the statement relates to the 31st January, 1974, which is the latest date for which it is available.
The main conditions for the granting of an allowance for the domiciliary care of a severely handicapped child is that the child be normally living at home and be aged between two and 16 years; the child must have mental or physical handicap such that he or she requires from another person constant care or supervision substantially greater than that which would normally be required by a child of the same age and sex. The handicap must be present at the time of application for the grant, have been present for at least six months prior to that date and be likely to continue for at least one year. Children who have means of their own in excess of the amount of the allowance—£25 per month—are not eligible.
The determination of eligibility for grants in individual cases is primarily a function of the chief executive officer of the relevant health board. Applications however are processed and assessed by the chief medical officer of the area in which the child resides.
My information is that in general the scheme is being implemented in full by the health boards. The Deputy may be referring to cases on which a decision is still outstanding. Health boards are continuing the assessment of these cases and I have asked them to make a special effort to deal with all arrears. In any event payment of the allowance will be from the date of application where a child is considered eligible.
It is estimated that the cost of the scheme will be £900,000 per annum and funds have been made available to health boards on this basis. Health boards have indicated that funds allocated to them are sufficient for the current operation of the scheme.
In notifying health boards regarding this scheme in September last I indicated that it would be reviewed periodically and that I proposed that the initial review would be made in April, 1974, in the light of experience in operating the scheme. For the purposes of the review health boards will be submitting to my Department detailed information and comments regarding the scheme for the six months ending 31st March, 1974.
The following is the statement:
Scheme of Allowances for Domiciliary Care of Severely Handicapped Children—Position at 31st January, 1974.
|
Number of applications received |
Number of applications approved |
Number of applications under consideration |
Number of applications refused |
Number of applications in respect of which payment has commenced |
|
|
Eastern Health Board: |
|||||
|
Dublin |
1,225 |
566 |
629 |
30 |
560 |
|
Kildare |
147 |
54 |
93 |
— |
54 |
|
Wicklow |
94 |
59 |
19 |
16 |
56 |
|
Midland Health Board: |
|||||
|
Laois |
48 |
30 |
2 |
16 |
30 |
|
Longford |
43 |
8 |
1 |
34 |
8 |
|
Offaly |
57 |
30 |
4 |
23 |
30 |
|
Westmeath |
57 |
25 |
5 |
27 |
25 |
|
Mid-Western Health Board: |
|||||
|
Clare |
69 |
48 |
9 |
12 |
48 |
|
Limerick |
181 |
117 |
62 |
2 |
80 |
|
Tipperary N.R. |
31 |
21 |
3 |
7 |
21 |
|
North-Eastern Health Board: |
|||||
|
Cavan |
56 |
12 |
15 |
29 |
12 |
|
Louth |
90 |
47 |
21 |
22 |
47 |
|
Monaghan |
53 |
20 |
29 |
4 |
20 |
|
Meath |
65 |
40 |
6 |
19 |
40 |
|
North-Western Health Board: |
|||||
|
Donegal |
72 |
62 |
2 |
8 |
62 |
|
Leitrim |
21 |
10 |
0 |
11 |
10 |
|
Sligo |
48 |
22 |
7 |
19 |
18 |
|
South-Eastern Health Board: |
|||||
|
Carlow |
34 |
17 |
2 |
15 |
12 |
|
Kilkenny |
45 |
37 |
4 |
4 |
35 |
|
Tipperary S.R. |
43 |
29 |
3 |
11 |
27 |
|
Waterford |
110 |
85 |
18 |
7 |
85 |
|
Wexford |
129 |
109 |
5 |
15 |
104 |
|
Southern Health Board: |
|||||
|
Cork |
440 |
122 |
219 |
99 |
122 |
|
Kerry |
86 |
46 |
16 |
24 |
46 |
|
Western Health Board: |
|||||
|
Galway |
215 |
122 |
15 |
78 |
75 |
|
Mayo |
128 |
90 |
23 |
15 |
90 |
|
Roscommon |
70 |
25 |
24 |
21 |
25 |
|
Total |
3,657 |
1,853 |
1,236 |
568 |
1,742 |
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are constant complaints from the parents of children who are severely handicapped that they are unable to get any benefit under the scheme even though they appear to qualify under the conditions which the Parliamentary Secretary has read out? Can the Parliamentary Secretary take steps to see that the parents of such children will get the grants as soon as possible and that they will be paid retrospectively to the date on which the scheme came into operation originally?
I indicated in the reply that the health boards continually assess these cases. I have asked them to make a special effort to deal with the arrears. I also indicated that if a child is eligible the allowance will be paid from the date of application.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the CMO of the Eastern Health Board in my county indicated that the sum allotted for this scheme was not sufficient to cater for all the applicants? Is the Parliamentary Secretary concerned that the statistics available to him did not give a proper idea of the number of handicapped children? Could he indicate whether applicants who applied in time and who are now found to be qualified will get payment retrospective to October?
I can assure the Deputy and the House that in all cases found to be eligible payment will be made in full. There is no shortage of funds to meet those demands.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there is no degree of uniformity regarding eligibility for these allowances? In one case a health board has rejected a case while a similar case has been accepted by another health board. Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider advising health boards to set up an appeal body to which the parents of children affected can make an appeal if the CEO has rejected their application?
I should like to know why in view of the fact that a national survey was made by the different regional health boards those boards did not get a complete feedback of the number of handicapped children until such time as the Minister for Health introduced the scheme? We found in our area that we had three or four times more handicapped children than were in the area when the Minister for Health introduced the scheme.
The Deputy is making a statement.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree, where a specialist in a particular field certifies that a young person is severely retarded and in need of constant attention that in such cases the allowance would be warranted?
Further arising——
Deputy Coughlan, would you allow the Parliamentary Secretary to reply? You asked a question and you must surely be anxious to get an answer.
In reply to Deputy Faulkner, I want to assure him that in any case where the chief executive officer decides the case is eligible for the scheme, the person will get the allowance. The chief executive officer, of course, works the scheme in conjunction with the chief medical officer of health for the health board there.
(Interruptions.)
Might I ask further——
Please do not insist, Deputies, on carrying on a debate on this matter. There are three Deputies on their feet now.
There are Deputies who asked questions and they had no question down at all.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary state if the CEO and the chief medical officer would take cognisance of a certificate by a specialist in this field in relation to this matter?
I have no doubt but that the chief executive officer would take all the advice that he thought would be pertinent in any such case.
May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether or not it would appear to him that because the number of applicants is in excess of that anticipated, an effort is being made to disqualify people who normally would have been eligible?
No.
I did not ask the Minister, I asked the Parliamentary Secretary.
Is the Deputy trying to say it is determined by the amount of money that is available?
Question No. 26.
We are dealing with six questions.
And I have allowed about 12 questions.
The answer that was given to me is totally in conflict with the information I have.
Question No. 26.
May I give you notice, a Cheann Comhairle, that I wish to raise this matter on the Adjournment?
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
26.
asked the Minister for Health the number of mentally handicapped people in the categories of adults and children at present in special residential centres; and the number on the waiting lists for such accommodation.
There were 4,367 mentally handicapped persons, 2,267 mentally handicapped children and 2,100 adults in the special residential centres on the 31st December, 1972. This is the latest date for which completed statistics are available.
On 31st March, 1973, there were 597 mentally handicapped children and 133 adults on the waiting lists of health boards for admission to special residential centres.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a number of those mentally handicapped children on the waiting list, some of them as young as seven to ten years of age, are at present in mental hospitals with adults? Will those cases get preference for any residential accommodation that will become available?
There are several schemes at various stages of construction and planning which will cater for about 1,070 in all. The cases to which the Deputy refers will get priority.
The Parliamentary Secretary will agree it is not right that children of that age should be put in mental hospitals?
I agree.
That has been the position for the last 30 years.