Vol. 483 No. 4
98 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, there are to meet the requirement for 1,439 residential or respite places and 1,036 day places for the mentally handicapped; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20663/97]
My Department's Assessment of Need for Services for Persons with a Mental Handicap 1997-2001 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. 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 was made available in 1997 to begin the process of meeting these needs.
As outlined in both Partnership 2000 for Inclusion, Employment and Competitiveness and An Action Programme for the Millenium, the Government is committed to the ongoing development of services for persons with a mental handicap in line with the needs outlined in that assessment.
I am not yet however in a position to comment on the overall level of funding which may be available for any particular service in 1998.
