Vol. 483 No. 2
2 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will implement the recommendations of his Department's assessment of need, 1997-2001 of service to persons with a mental handicap and intellectual disability. [19942/97]
The "Assessment of Need for Services for Persons with a Mental Handicap l997-2001" was published earlier this year and is based on information from the National Intellectual Disability Database. The assessment identified a requirement for 1,439 new residential-respite places and 1,036 new day places over the next five years. As outlined in both "Partnership 2000 for Inclusion Employment and Competitiveness" and An Action Plan for the Millennium, the Government is committed to the ongoing development of services to persons with a mental handicap in line with the needs outlined.
I recently met the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland and I am fully aware of their views. I am not yet, however, in a position to comment on the overall level of funding which may be available for any service in the coming year.
I am obliged to the Minister for his answer. Will he indicate to the House what provision has been made in the abridged Estimates already published for the implementation of the plan?
The position will be clearer subsequent to the budget.
There is a clear commitment in the Programme for Government to implement a five year plan for the development of mental health services. I would have thought there should be some provision in the abridged version of the Estimates already published. Will the Minister indicate, for example, what the staffing implications of the plan are and what plans he has to come to grips with them?
That will be incorporated in the overall provision. As the Deputy is aware, the plan sets out the number of increased services that will be required over the period. The real issue that concerns the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland is the need to deal with the requirement of new places. The database confirms 1,439 new residential respite places and 1,036 new day places. I intend to make significant improvements in the number of day places that will be made available in 1998. On that basis I had a fruitful discussion with the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland some weeks ago. Their concern is to make serious inroads in the provision of new places. From 1998 onwards we will be able to do that. In the past funding was used to deal with a backlog of places which, as far as I can see, had not been officially in the system up to now. Therefore, the amount of money that was being spent was not adding much to net new places in the system.
I am in some difficulty and I am not trying to score points. I am genuinely trying to elucidate information. In his response, the Minister seems to accept implicitly that the assessment identifying needs for residential and day places is a reasonable one based on the information available. He will know that the assessment also details how much such places would cost and comes up with a total of £63.5 million. The Minister is able to say he will make significant improvements in 1998, yet he cannot give any information as to the nature of those improvements. I am seeking information on that.
The reason, as I have outlined, is that the development moneys available in respect of that category will be finalised on budget day.
May I take it provision for additional places has not been made yet in the abridged version of the Estimates already published?
No. The allocations in the abridged Estimates cover an unchanged policy in this area at the moment.
So there is no provision for improvement?
There is an existing provision. It is the full 1998 year cost of the existing level of services.
That is right. So there is no provision for improvements, for increases in the number of residential or day places in the Estimates already published, and we must wait for budget day for such matters?
That will be dealt with in the budget.
