I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment. I have tabled many questions over a long period on the denial by the Department of Health of a service to disabled people and those with a mental handicap. I have received many responses to these questions, for example, "the services are being developed", "additional funding has been made available" and "continued improvement will be made in this area depending on the resources made available". The responses to the questions I table in this regard usually refer to resources being made available. I tabled a question to the Minister for Finance on 17 December which stated:
...with regard to the rights of people with a disability as referred to in his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 6 November 1996 by Deputy Ivor Callely, if his attention has been drawn to the totally inadequate funding of services for people with a disability, particularly people with a mental handicap; the required level of funding to meet the 1977 demands; the actual level of funding for 1996; and the anticipated level of funding for 1997.
The Minister for Finance would not respond and the matter was referred to the Minister for Health.
Page 34 of a document entitled Information Guide to our Health Services refers to community based services for people with disability, including public health nursing services, home help services, social work services, chiropody, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy. The article states:
Health boards also arrange assessments of people with disabilities and are involved in securing suitable day care and residential services.
Voluntary organisations provide a wide range of services to people with disabilities, including information, counselling, home, day and residential care, social work support, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Health boards provide mental handicap services in cooperation with a number of voluntary agencies. These services include assessment, support, day care, residential care and financial allowances.
Paragraph 104 of A Government of Renewal states:
Much progress has been made in improving services for those with a mental handicap in the past two years. We are committed to building on these improvements in future years, to eliminate waiting lists and to maximise the quality of life and right of participation of every citizen with a mental handicap.
In response to the question I tabled on 17 December, the Minister for Health stated:
...substantial additional funding has been made available in recent years for the development of services to persons with a mental handicap. Additional funding of £56.8 million was invested in the services in the period 1990 to 1996 which has enabled health boards and the voluntary mental handicap agencies to put in place over 1,000 additional residential-respite places and 2,300 day care places.
The estimated total revenue expenditure on services for persons with a mental handicap increased from £162 million in 1990 to £250 million in 1995... The National Intellectual Disability Database is now providing my Department, the health boards and voluntary and mental handicap agencies with information on both the current and future needs of persons with a mental handicap over a five year period. I would hope to continue the development of further services for persons with a mental handicap based on the needs identified by the database. My priority is to ensure that provision can be made to meet the needs of those who are currently without a service.
In the period 1993 to 1996 additional funding of £10.55 million was made available to develop services for people with physical and sensory disabilities.
I am satisfied that this additional annual funding has made a significant impact on the number of persons with a mental handicap or physical-sensory disability awaiting services. However, I am aware that more needs to be done. The Government is committed under both the health strategy document "Shaping a Healthier Future" and A Government of Renewal to the continued development of services as resources become available.
The bottom line in all those replies is that services will continue to develop as resources become available.
I hope the Minister will not give me the standard reply I have received to date about what the Government has done in regard to additional funding. It only looks good on paper. In 1996 the Eastern Health Board assessed more than 430 people as requiring residential placement. Funding from the Department of Health allowed only 28 additional residential places to be made available in 1996. The Minister gave a commitment in A Government of Renewal, in various health documents and in replies to parliamentary questions in regard to services for the mentally handicapped. The provision of 28 of the 430 places required in one of our health boards is not good enough. The mentally handicapped are being denied a service. It is also unfair to their families who are trying to cope without an appropriate service. The Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities made 402 recommendations. In 1997 what funding will be required and made available to meet the demands?
