Vol. 403 No. 3
12 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the extent to which existing services for the mentally handicapped are up to requirements in the areas of (1) respite care to allow carers have a break (2) day centres for the handicapped; and if he will give an indication of his policy plans in regard to same.
The resources provided for mental handicap services have been protected in real terms since 1987. This year approximately £140 million will be spent on services to people with mental handicap. Earlier this year the Government allocated £2 million for the development of additional services. As a result, an extra 149 residential places, 21 respite places, serving about 200 people, 442 day places, family support for 66 clients and over 25 additional support staff were provided to meet priority needs.
I am aware that the current level of service provision falls short of meeting all needs, particlarly those of the adults with mental handicap.
The report of the review group on mental handicap services will be published shortly. This report will provide guidelines for the development of services at national and local level.
At my request, the health boards are preparing five year plans to meet the needs of the mentally handicapped, in consultation with the regional mental handicap co-ordinating committees. These plans will form the basis for the preparation of a national programme for the menatally handicapped to be implemented in accordance with the resources made available to me for this purpose.
Would the Minister accept that the preservation in real terms of the value of money to this growing area of requirement cannot possibly meet the needs, and will he give the House a guarantee that in the five year plan the Government will be committing themselves to real growth so that we can guarantee respite care and day centre services to the 430, for example, in the Eastern Health Board area alone?
Not alone have we secured additional funding this year, over the years we have also ensured that the funding has been maintained. We have provided additional staff, additional residential places, additional respite places——
Would you listen to the question?
I heard your question and I am answering it.
The Minister must be allowed reply. I will facilitate the Deputy again in posing a further question.
He should answer the question asked.
When the report from the regional co-ordinating committees comes forward we will examine it. We are committed to ensuring that adequate resources are made available in that area and, as resources become available, they will be prioritised into the area.
Would the Minister not agree that he has offered this commitment to providing adequate resources for several years now and that the reality that he admitted today is that it falls far short of what is needed? Will the Minister now agree to increase the allocation so that we can have these vital services?
I could not have made any commitment for several years because I am just 15 months in this post. We inherited the situation where the Deputy's Government had neglected this whole area.
That is a bit late at this stage.
We had to redress that situation. Not alone have we maintained the rate of inflation but we have increased the funds by 25 per cent over the past three years. That is positive proof of the Government's performance in acknowledging the desire to provide funds in this very important area.
It is not enough.
Will the Minister tell the House how he proposes to devise five year plans for the provision of services for the mentally handicapped when we do not have any figures about the extent of service requirements and when his Department refuse to publish the report on mental handicap that has been on his desk since last summer?
The Minister for Health requested the eight health boards to set up co-ordinating committees. That gave the opportunity to a wide range of all the people involved in the mental handicap area to get together——
That is not the question.
Deputy Rabbitte, I am responding. When that report becomes available we will make our projections based on its recommendations.
That has nothing to do with the question.
Would the Minister of State not concede that what is needed is not more reports but resources and that there is a clearly established need for an additional 800 residential places and 1,100 day care places within the next two years? Is he aware that the cost of providing that in the context of Dublin is £7 million? In view of his commitment to make adequate resources available will he now state that these resources will be forthcoming in 1991?
This year we will be providing almost 22 per cent of the entire Exchequer budget to the health services.
I know about this year. It is next year I am talking about.
For next year we will commit the maximum resources available taking into account the budgetary situation that prevails.
What does that mean?
Just a brief question.
Seven million pounds is what is needed.
The time for questions is exhausted, I will hear Deputy Sherlock.
Arising from the Minister's reply, will he agree that the development of services for the mentally handicapped has been on an ad hoc basis over the years; that the burden of raising finances rested with voluntary bodies who are now at the end of their tether and, in view of the number of submissions that have been made to his own Department for additional funding, would he recognise that there is a serious problem and that extra funding will be provided?
I would not agree that the funding for the mental handicapped services has been on an ad hoc basis. The Government in co-operation with the various agencies and the voluntary sector have, collectively, done a great job in providing the services that are needed.
Why are they on the streets?
I would like to pay a tribute to the voluntary sector and to all the agencies involved because, no matter what Government might be in power, the State could not sustain the resources that are needed without the support and co-operation of the voluntary sector and this House should appreciate that.
Why are they begging for basic services in the Minister's own constituency?
Would the Minister agree that one of the marks of a civilised country is the way it treats the weakest members of the community? Would the Minister further agree that the mentally handicapped must come under that category?
Most definitely, and I think the record of this party in Government in the social area has been excellent over the years.
Talk is cheap.
I am quite confident that we will prioritise the necessary resources again in 1991 for this area.
Go back to the Office of Public Works.
That disposes of Questions for today.
