Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Apr 1997

Vol. 477 No. 5

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

Joe Costello

Question:

104 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Health the budget allocation for 1997 in relation to services for the mentally handicapped, with particular emphasis on autism; the number of recommendations of the 1994 report on the mentally handicapped which have been implemented; if so, the timescale for implementation of the recommendations; whether there will be improvements in the respite and home care service; if a data bank on assessment will be set up to include young adults and adults; the number of residential places being considered for autistic persons; whether the health boards will be encouraged to prioritise the future plans for autism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9656/97]

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

Additional funding amounting to £12 million has been made available in 1997 for services to persons with a mental handicap. Two million pounds has been used to meet identified needs in existing services. The remaining £10 million which was announced in the budget is being used to provide new services in 1997 including 160 new residential-respite places and 350 new day care places. Some of the additional funding provided in 1997 is also being used to further enhance services to persons with autism in line with the recommendations outlined in my Department's policy document on services to persons with autism which was published in 1994. Details of the precise services to be put in place in each health board region are agreed by the regional mental handicap co-ordinating committees in line with the priority needs which have been identified for each region.

The majority of persons with autism are in receipt of services within the mental handicap services. However, a minority do require more specialised facilities. Specific services for persons with autism are available in the Eastern, North-Eastern, Southern and Western Health Boards which provide between 128 and 130 residential places overall. Planning for the development of further specialist facilities is being included by the health boards in their overall consideration of the needs of persons with a mental handicap and autism in their regions. Persons with autism have available to them a range of services, including multi-disciplinary support services, residential, respite and day services and home support services.

Additional funding amounting to £225,000 in 1994 and £300,000 in 1995 was made available for the development of services to persons with autism in line with my Department's policy document. While information on the service needs of persons with autism is included on the National Intellectual Disability Database, the health boards have been obtaining information on the specific needs of this group in their regions as part of the implementation of the recommendations contained in the policy document.