Mary Wallace
Question:93 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the number of persons in County Meath currently on waiting lists for respite care services. [11001/96]
Written Answers. - Respite Care.
Mary Wallace
Question:94 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the amount allocated in each of the years 1995 and 1996 to groups in County Meath for the purposes of providing respite care services. [11002/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together. The provision of respite care in County Meath is a matter in the first instance for the North Eastern Health Board.
Respite care facilities are provided by the health board in County Meath. The amount of funding allocated for respite care services in Courty Meath in 1995 and 1996 was as follows:
|
1995 |
1996 |
|
|
Mental Handicap Services |
£90,000 |
£128,000 (Full year costs) |
|
Physical Disability Services |
£14,000 |
Not Available* |
*Proposals for additional physical disability services in 1996 are currently under consideration in my Department.
In addition to the new respite services which will come on stream in County Meath in 1996, persons with autism from County Meath will also be able to avail of additional respite services for this group which will become available during 1996 in County Louth. When fully operational this will add a further £64,000 to the figure of £128,000 mentioned above.
I understand from the board that all emergency respite needs of persons with a mental handicap in County Meath can be catered for at present. Planned respite breaks which were provided on a limited basis in 1995 will be greatly enhanced by the additional facilities coming on stream in 1996. As the facilities available to the board for respite services in County Meath have to date been very limited, it has not operated a waiting list for respite care for this group. Information now coming on stream from the mental handicap database will enable the board to identify these needs in a more precise manner.
The board does not currently operate a waiting list for people with a physical disability awaiting respite care as it does not have specific respite services available to this group. While use is currently made of generic facilities, specialised residential/respite services will be coming on stream in 1996.