asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of the widespread concern amongst some parents and health care workers regarding the inability to have severely mentally handicapped children placed in residential care; and the plans he has to ensure that facilities will be provided as a matter of urgency.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mentally Handicapped Children.
22.
While I am aware that gaps exist within the mental handicap service, I do not consider that the provision of extra residential facilities for severely mentally handicapped children is the top priority. Long-stay residential care for children should only be provided after other alternatives, such as family support and hostel accommodation, have proved unsuitable.
In order to identify the current priority requirements in the mental handicap service and to assist in finding a solution to the problem, I have set up a small consultative group to examine the matter and to make recommendations to me. The first meeting of this group will take place in June.
What advice would the Minister give to a parent with a severely mentally handicapped child who is unable to have that child placed in residential care? Would the Minister accept that because of the reduction in real terms in the allocation to voluntary organisations which cater for the mentally handicapped the position will get worse?
There has not been a reduction.
There has, in real terms. The allocation this year is less than the outrun for last year.
No, it is not. In consultation with all the agencies concerned we have been examining the position of those who are mentally handicapped. I am well aware that this is an area which can be hyped up almost overnight, for example, by somebody ringing up the Gay Byrne Show.
I am speaking about genuine cases I can stand over.
I will tell the Deputy the facts. Since 1983 Cheeverstown House costing £1.5 million this year has 124 day places with ten beds open so far this year. In St. Mary's Drumcar we have provided £200,000 extra for a 20 place unit and two chalets with ten places in each. In Dungarvan we have provided a new assembly hall and a hydrotherapy pool. In Belcamp we will be opening the adult day care centre this year at a cost of £¼ million. In St. Patrick's in Upton in Cork we have opened five chalets with ten places. There is a hostel awaiting funding in Cootehill. I take the Deputy's point there. In addition, to enable the main services to be brought onstream, since 1983 we have given additional moneys to the Brothers of Charity, to the Pope John Paul Centre in Ballybay in County Galway and to a small centre in Cork. These moneys are being expended and there is a lot of argument going on about the staffing of those units and I have been very disappointed about the way in which some of them have opened. But by and large the money is available.