Vol. 466 No. 5
22 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Health his views on whether there is a serious lack of co-ordination in the provision of services for the mentally handicapped; and the plans, if any, he has to improve this situation. [9413/96]
Limerick East): Responsibility for the provision of services to persons with a mental handicap, in the first instance, is a matter for the health boards.
Regional planning and co-ordination of services is carried out by the Regional Mental Handicap Co-ordinating Committees, which operate in seven of the eight health board areas. The committees are representative of the health boards, the voluntary service providers and parents and families of persons with a mental handicap. The parent representatives in each case are nominated by the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped in Ireland — NAMH. A parents' committee operates in the North-Western Health Board region which has similar input into the decision-making process as the co-ordinating committees in the other health board regions.
The co-ordinating committees identify priorities for service developments, agree plans for the development of services for each region and recommend development priorities as resources become available. I am satisfied that these committees are operating successfully and are effective in the co-ordination of services at regional level.
The Regional Co-ordinating Committees operate in accordance with the national priorities and policies which the Government determines. These priorities and plans will be reflected in the five-year service development plan to meet the needs identified by the new National Mental Handicap Database which I announced recently. Work on the regional plans is already under way in each health board region. I expect the overall plan to be ready later this year.
I am, therefore, satisfied that co-ordination at national and regional level is operating effectively.
