Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 May 1989

Vol. 390 No. 4

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Service.

101.

Mr. D. Fitzpatrick

asked the Minister for Health the present number of people with mental handicap, in the different categories and age groups (a) in receipt of a service and (b) not in receipt of a service, in each of the health board areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

(a) The following tables indicate the number of people by age and degree of handicap in receipt of mental handicap services in each health board area. In addition there are approximately 2,000 people accommodated in the psychiatric hospitals.

Eastern Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	49	80	24	17	170
5-14	148	143	215	63	569
15-19	196	159	123	35	513
20-34	351	767	419	130	1,667
35-54	140	558	266	43	1,007
55+	47	138	69	5	259
Total	931	1,845	1,116	293	4,185

Midland Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	10	15	11	3	39
5-14	6	44	29	13	92
15-19	12	35	29	11	87
20-34	18	53	46	8	125
35-54	6	10	6	1	23
55+	—	7	5	—	12
Total	52	164	126	36	378

Mid Western Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	9	7	7	5	28
5-14	2	72	24	34	132
15-19	12	96	24	21	153
20-34	46	212	90	34	382
35-54	5	55	18	3	81
55+	—	—	1	—	1
Total	74	442	164	97	777

North Eastern Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	1	5	2	1	9
5-14	5	59	37	7	108
15-19	7	42	40	8	97
20-34	29	92	86	3	210
35-54	6	31	74	1	112
55+	—	4	7	—	11
Total	48	233	246	20	547

North Western Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	3	8	4	1	16
5-14	5	46	25	8	84
15-19	28	43	22	4	97
20-34	46	204	70	15	335
35-54	8	43	32	1	84
55+	—	1	1	—	2
Total	90	345	154	29	618

South Eastern Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	10	7	7	6	30
5-14	25	48	69	47	189
15-19	36	30	20	12	98
20-34	79	188	87	20	374
35-54	30	70	33	6	139
55+	3	4	1	—	8
Total	183	347	217	91	838

Southern Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	1	5	25	1	32
5-14	65	122	101	32	320
15-19	127	116	55	45	343
20-34	172	212	181	47	612
35-54	67	73	44	1	185
55+	11	28	23	—	62
Total	443	556	429	126	1,554

Western Health Board

Age	Mild	Moderate	Severe	Profound	Total
0-4	—	2	2	2	6
5-14	27	93	53	11	184
15-19	61	106	43	8	218
20-34	80	182	102	7	371
35-54	18	86	44	—	148
55+	4	8	5	—	17
Total	190	477	249	28	944

(b) It is my policy that mentally handicapped persons receive appropriate services as required. To this end I have ensured, despite the overall financial constraints, that the allocations for the agencies providing such services have been protected in real terms and that these services are provided in a co-ordinated prioritised way. The regional co-ordinating committee's representative of the Department, the health boards and the voluntary agencies are at present assessing the position particularly in relation to any unmet need. When the unmet need is comprehensively quantified I will communicate with the Deputy.