Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Apr 1993

Vol. 429 No. 6

Written Answers. - Funding for Mental Handicap Services.

Theresa Ahearn

Question:

292 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health the amount of additional funding allocated to the South-Eastern Health Board for the development of mental handicap services in 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

An additional £8.5 million has been made available in 1993 for the development of services for people with mental handicap. The total allocation for services for people with a mental handicap this year is approximately £209 million.

Of the additional £8.5 million I have made available new resources of £2 million to strengthen the funding base of the direct funded mental handicap agencies and to meet some essential service needs. As many of these agencies provide services in more than one health board area it is not possible to say at this stage how much of the additional money is going to each area.

£4 million has been allocated to the health board regions, of which £586,000 has been allocated to the South Eastern region.

The guidelines issued to the South Eastern region proposed that 8 residential/respite places, 50 day care places and additional home support and early intervention services be put in place in 1993. The precise services to be provided in the South Eastern region will be agreed by the mental handicap co-ordinating committee, which is representative of the health board, voluntary agencies and parents, within the guidelines issued by my Department and will be subject to my approval.

Provision has also been made for the capital investment necessary to support the initiatives which will be put in place this year. The allocation of the £2.5 million capital funding made available in the budget will be directly related to the service developments agreed by the regional mental handicap co-ordinating committees and approved by my Department. Accordingly, it is not yet possible to indicate how much will be allocated to each area.