Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 12 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 3

Written Answers. - Health Expenditure.

Mary Wallace

Question:

65 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the funding allocated in each of the past ten years to provide day and residential care services for people with learning disabilities; and the number of persons receiving such services for each of those years. [7142/97]

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

The following table indicates health expenditure from 1989 to 1996 on mental handicap services and the number of persons with a mental handicap in day and residential services:

Year	Health Expenditure	No. of Persons attending Day Services	No. of Persons in Residential Placements
	£m
1989	110.96	—	—
1990	131.814	5,783*	6,063*
1991	137.645	—	—
1992	157.623	6,817*	6,582*
1993	177.819	—	—
1994	193.829	—	—
1995	208.213	—	—
1996	219.469	—	—

*Census taken in 1990 and 1992 of the number of persons with a mental handicap in services.

This expenditure relates to the provision of the full range of services, including residential, respite, day services, home support services, assessment and multi-disciplinary services, for persons with a mental handicap. More current information on the number of persons with a mental handicap in receipt of day and-or residential services is currently being compiled from the National Intellectual Disability Database.