John Bruton
Question:231 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself that there are adequate respite centres in County Meath for the elderly and the handicapped.
Written Answers. - Respite Centres.
The report, The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly is the first official report to recommend comprehensive measures relating to the provision of respite places for the elderly. The report emphasised the importance of additional day care places and respite facilities to offer carers a break from caring during the day or for short and regular periods of time.
The Years Ahead has been accepted by the Government as policy towards the elderly. During the last three years the Government has made an additional £9 million available to implement the recommendations of the report dealing with the expansion of home nursing and home help services and of facilities for the elderly in the community. The funds have enabled health boards to recruit additional public health nurses, general nurses working in the community, home helps and home care attendants. They have been able to provide additional day care centres, respite places and extended care beds. Each health board provides respite services and my Department will continue to encourage boards to extend these facilities. At present the North-Eastern Health Board provides 16 respite beds for the elderly in County Meath in the County Infirmary, Navan.
Respite services for people with mental handicap in the Meath area are provided by the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, Delvin, County Westmeath and by the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God, Drumcar, County Louth.
As the Deputy is aware, funding was made available in the budget to improve services for people with mental handicap. The North-Eastern Health Board region has been allocated £552,000 for the development of services for people with mental handicap, including respite services. The manner in which these services are to be provided will be agreed by the North-Eastern Regional Mental Handicap Co-ordinating Committee which is representative of the health board, voluntary agencies and parents.
Funding is also being made available for the development of services for people with physical or sensory disability. This will facilitate the expansion of community-based services including respite care facilities. The actual services to be provided will be a matter for the NEHB.