Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 1

Written Answers. - Services for Mentally Handicapped People.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

80 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a mental handicap on the waiting list for day services in area 6, area 7 and area 8 of the Eastern Health Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10728/96]

Róisín Shortall

Question:

81 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of persons with a mental handicap on the waiting list for residential services in area 6, area 7 and area 8 of the Eastern Health Board's community care areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10729/96]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 81 together. The provision of services for persons with a mental handicap in the community care areas specified is in the first instance a matter for the Eastern Health Board.

I understand from the board that the current information in relation to the numbers of persons in need of day and residential services in each of the three community care areas over the next five years is as follows:

	Area 6	area 7	Area 8
Day Services	7	11	17
Residential Services	54	35	66

In relation to the need for additional day services, the above mentioned figures do not include clients who are currently attending training courses or other services and who will require an alternative service during the next five years. As part of the ongoing validation of the information on the mental handicap database, the board is currently working with the other service providers to identify more precisely the needs of this group. Based on the information currently available however, the board estimates that in the three community care areas in question, a further 300 to 400 persons in this category will require alternative placements during the next five years.