I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I recently attended a meeting of the Friends of the Mentally Handicapped for the Mid-West Region at which the tremendous pressure parents and all those caring for the mentally handicapped are under was highlighted. This pressure is due solely to a lack of facilities caused by a dearth of consistent and inadequate funding.
It will no doubt be argued by the Minister that money is short and that the Government has managed to increase allocations to agencies funded directly by the Department of Health from £39 million in 1981 to more than £104 million in 1993, an increase of 167 per cent. While such increases are very encouraging, we must look at the reality, there is now a crisis in the mid-west region. The report drawn up by the Mid-Western Health Board on mentally handicapped services, published in 1990, pointed out that an investment programme of £6.295 million was needed immediately to deal with the immediate and urgent needs of children and adults in that region alone. I want to contrast this with the funding provided by the Department to deal with the problem nationally.
Funding must be adequate and planned over a number of years so that a high level and consistent service can be provided. I wish to avail of this opportunity to compliment the voluntary bodies who give a consistent and ongoing service to those who suffer from mental handicap. Without these voluntary bodies and the carers involved in this sector we would not have the existing excellent service which is due to the commitment and ongoing concern of carers for the mentally handicapped. What worries me is that these carers are not being given the back-up funding to do the job they would wish to do.
I want to refer particularly to the problems obtaining within the service which must be addressed as a matter of ugency, not least in the Mid-Western Health Board area. These concern adults blocking children's beds and the absence of children's community services. Funding for the provision of sheltered workshops must also be given priority. The only way of fully recognising the invaluable work done by people such as the Brothers of Charity at Gort Road in Ennis is by the provision of funds so that they can continue the work of giving our young adults the dignity and respect each citizen deserves and has a right to expect.
In the mid-west region there is urgent need for day care services, respite care, educational facilities and hostel places. The need for genetic counselling is also being stressed by the Mid-Western Health Board in their report.
I want to refer now to the figure to which the Mid-Western Health Board referred in their report published in 1990. That health board has said they cannot continue to provide the service without an immediate injection of £6.295 million. Referring to such a figure is not a scare tactic because those involved in the service have said that, without such immediate financial aid, the orderly development and provision of services already obtaining in the mid-west region will grind to a halt.
The Government has allocated £8.5 million in the 1993 budget, based on a figure of 1,600 people nationally in need of this assistance and help. However, the 1993 figures show there has been an increase in the numbers of people needing help, now standing at 2,756.
I want to demonstrate what the moneys actually mean in real terms in the Mid-Western Health Board area. Although we are talking about an increase of £8.5 million in the budget, what that means nationally is £6.5 million for new services for 1993. That is the national figure whereas there is need for the Mid-Western Health Board also to receive over £6 million to continue those services. What this increase will mean for the Mid-Western Health Board alone will be just £458,000 for 1993, compared with a figure of £275,000 in 1992.
I regret I have not more time to highlight the very serious problem obtaining within the Mid-Western Health Board area with regard to the mentally handicapped, causing great anxiety, concern, frustration and indeed disillusionment on the part of carers who have provided such a consistent and high standard of care to the mentally handicapped.
I appeal to the Minister to do his utmost to ensure an immediate increase in funds for the mentally handicapped in the Mid-Western Health Board area to allow the carers there provide the service they would wish to provide.
