Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 1

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

Ivor Callely

Question:

68 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the number of people with a mental handicap who are accommodated in services; the number of people with a mental handicap awaiting an appropriate service; if he will give a breakdown for each health board area in this regard; the number of people awaiting placement likely to be accommodated in 1997; the development plans, if any, there are over the next five years in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4029/97]

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

Information on the number of persons with a mental handicap in receipt of services or awaiting placement in either residential or day services is currently being complied from the National Intellectual Disability Database as part of the preparation of the assessment of need for the development of services to persons with a mental handicap.

It is my intention in the near future to request approval from the Government for the publication of my assessment of the need for services for persons with a mental handicap as identified by the database.

Additional funding amounting to £12 million is being made available in 1997 for services to persons with a mental handicap. A sum of £2 million is being used to meet identified needs in existing services. The remaining £10 million, which was announced in the budget, will be used to provide new services in 1997 including 160 new residential/respite places; 350 new day care services; the introduction of a home support grant to offer immediate assistance to the carers of those on the waiting list for a residential place, details of which scheme will be announced shortly; the continuation of the ongoing programme to transfer persons with a mental handicap from inappropriate care settings; and the further enhancement of services to persons with autism in line with the recommendations outlined in the Department's policy document on these services.

Details of the precise services to be put in place in each health board region will be agreed by the regional mental handicap co-ordinating committees in line with the priority needs which have been identified for each region.

The provision of £12 million revenue in 1997 is an indication of the Government's commitment, as set out inPartnership 2000, that services to persons with a mental handicap will be developed, within the overall resource parameter, based on the needs identified by the database.