Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 1 Mar 1995

Vol. 449 No. 8

Written Answers. - People with Learning Disability.

Ivor Callely

Question:

79 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the actual funding that has been included in the Minister's determination of Eastern Health Board expenditure for 1995 to provide places for people with a learning disability that have been identified and costed by the board; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 480 people are waiting for residential places, 500 day places and 300 home support in the Eastern Health Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4631/95]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. O'Shea)

As the Deputy is aware £12 million is being made available in 1995 for the development of services for people with a mental handicap nationally. Of this, £2 million is being used to strengthen the funding base of some agencies and to meet identified needs in existing services.

Eight million pounds revenue and £2 million capital will be allocated to the health board regions for the further development of new services including: additional residential/respite places; additional day care places; the further development of the home support service; the development of services for persons with autism in response to the policy document which was published in September 1994; the development of services for persons with mental handicap who are also behaviourally disturbed in response to a policy document which will be issued shortly; the continuation of the programme to transfer persons with a mental handicap from psychiatric hospitals and other unsuitable placements to more appropriate care settings; and the provision of hepatitis B vaccinations for staff working in the mental handicap services and also for client groups considered to be at risk.

In addition, £4.2 million is being provided for the development of training centres which will benefit people with disabilities including those with a mental handicap.

Information relating to the level of need for additional services in the Eastern Health Board region has been submitted to my Department. However, I am not yet in a position to indicate the amount of additional funding which will be allocated to individual health board regions. I will let the Deputy have this information as soon as it is available. The precise services to be provided in each region will be agreed with the regional mental handicap co-ordinating committees within the guidelines issued by the Department and approved by the Minister for Health.

I assure the Deputy that the provision of additional services for persons with a mental handicap has a very high priority within my Department. Between 1990 and 1994, a cumulative figure of £26.5 million revenue and £6.08 million capital in additional funding has been invested in services for people with mental handicap. From this the Eastern Health Board region was allocated £10.02 million revenue, and associated capital funding. In line with the commitment contained in the policy document,A Government of Renewal, the Government is committed to eliminating waiting lists and to maximising the quality of life and right of participation of every citizen with a mental handicap.