Vol. 479 No. 1
24 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Health the progress, if any, which has been made in providing respite care, residential places and adult training centres in Ballinasloe, County Galway; the funding to be made available in this regard in 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12350/97]
The provision of services to persons with a mental handicap in the Ballinasloe area, County Galway, is a matter in the first instance for the Western Health Board.
Additional funding of £12 million has been provided in 1997 for services to persons with a mental handicap; £2 million is being used to meet identified needs in existing services. The remaining £10 million is being used to put in place new services, including additional residential, respite and day care places.
Recently I approved an allocation of £850,000 to the Western Health Board for the provision of new residential, respite and day care places in 1997. Details of the precise services to be put in place in the Western Health Board region have been agreed by the regional mental handicap coordinating committee in line with the priority needs which were identified for the region. My Department is currently examining those proposals which I understand include provision for additional day and residential services in the Ballinasloe area. I will provide details of these services to the Deputy when they have been approved.
