Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 4

Written Answers. - Day Care Centres.

Joe Walsh

Question:

102 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Health the number of day care centres under the auspices of the health boards; the number of qualified nurses co-ordinating the activities of these centres in a permanent wholetime capacity; the criteria used for the appointment of these co-ordinators to permanent wholetime positions; whether he proposes to sanction the permanent appointment of those who are currently employed in a temporary capacity; and if so, if he will approve the appointment of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [9841/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to day care centres for the elderly. These centres provide various services for the elderly within their communities, including meals, laundry and bathing facilities, occupational therapy, hairdressing and social activities. Such day care services are an important element in helping many elderly people to live independently within the community and, as such, are an integral part of my Department's policy from the elderly as set out in the Health Strategy, Towards a Healthier Future.

The number of day care centres in each health board are as follows:

Board	No.
Eastern Health Board	76
Midland Health Board	9
Mid-Western Health Board	11
North Eastern Health Board	3
North Western Health Board	22
South Eastern Health Board	27
Southern Health Board	27
Western Health Board	12
Total	187

Many of these day care centres are run by voluntary organisations and are grant-aided by the health boards. These voluntary organisations employ competent persons who arrange and implement the services to be provided at the centres and, as the level of nursing duties to be performed, other than those which can be provided by the public health nursing service, is quite limited, the voluntary organisations seldom have a need to employ qualified nurses.

With regard to those day centres administered directly by the boards, the staffing of these is a function of the relevant health board. I will have the particular case raised by the Deputy investigated and I will respond to him in due course.