Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 3

Written Answers. - Services to Mentally Handicapped.

Mary Flaherty

Question:

40 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Health the percentage of the recent funds allocated to the Eastern Health Board for services to the mentally handicapped that were allocated to St. Michael's House, Glasnevin, Dublin 11; and the additional north side services that will be provided this year as a result of this allocation. [16635/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan

, Limerick East): The Eastern Health Board region was allocated £3.003 million revenue and £1.320 million capital to develop new services for people with a mental handicap this year. Details relating to the services to be provided in the eastern region were agreed by the eastern region Mental Handicap Planning Committee, on which St. Michael's House is represented within the guidelines issued by my Department.

In all a total of £528,000 in additional revenue funding was allocated to St. Michael's House and a further £266,000 to other agencies in respect of clients on St. Michael's House waiting lists. This amounts to 26 per cent of the total revenue allocated to the eastern region and 37 per cent of the new residential accommodation which was provided in the region in 1995.

Capital funding of £500,000 has also been provided to St. Michael's House to support these developments.

The additional funding enabled St. Michael's House to provide 13 residential-respite places, 38 day places, enhanced home support services, enhanced services for people with disturbed behaviour and hepatitis B vaccinations for staff and client groups considered to be at risk. In addition 14 clients on St. Michael's House waiting lists benefited from the new services provided by other mental handicap agencies in the Dublin area. All of the residential and day places put in place in 1995 by St. Michael's House were provided on the north side of Dublin.

In addition to the development funds for the provision of new services, additional funding was also provided in 1995 to meet identified needs in existing services. St. Michael's House was allocated an additional £100,000 this year bringing the total additional funding provided over the last three years to the agency under this heading to £500,000.