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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 1997

Vol. 478 No. 7

Written Answers - Mental Handicap Services.

Ivor Callely

Question:

27 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the number of people with a mental handicap who are unable to obtain a service or support; if he will give a breakdown of people on waiting lists for services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12157/97]

Limerick East): I recently published an Assessment of Need for Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap 1997 to 2001 as identified from the National Intellectual Disability Database.

The overall number of persons with a mental handicap identified by the database is 26,694, of whom 22,804 persons are receiving a service; 604 persons currently have no services and require either a residential, including a day service, or a day service only and 3,286 persons have no current service requirements.

The 22,804 persons who are receiving a service includes 1,280 persons who receive a day service but also require a residential place and 452 persons who are in residential care but also require a day service. A small group of 23 persons currently receive only minimal support services and require both a residential and day service.

These figures translate into a requirement for 1,439 new residential/respite places and 1,036 new day places over the next five years. It is estimated that the cost of providing these services would be in the region of £63.5 million over the period. Additional funding of £12 million has been made available in 1997 to begin the process of meeting these needs.

The Government is committed, as outlined in Partnership 200 for Inclusion, Employment and Competitiveness to continue to build on the improvements in services for persons with a mental handicap which have been put in place in recent years within overall resource parameters and based on the needs identified in the Assessment of Need.

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