Vol. 485 No. 2
217 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of the extra resources awarded in the Estimates and the budget for current and capital expenditure on the mentally and physically handicapped; and if he will make a statement on the matter and put to rest the wrong perceptions in this regard. [22973/97]
The 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. As outlined in both Partnership 2000 for Inclusion, Employment and Competitiveness and An Action Plan for the Millenium the Government is committed to the ongoing development of services to persons with a mental handicap in line with the needs outlined in that assessment.
To this end, additional funding of £16 million is being provided in 1998 for services to persons with a mental handicap. This includes additional revenue funding of £7 million which I announced in the budget for the provision of new residential-respite and day places and £3.75 million which was provided in the Estimates for 1998 to strengthen the existing services.
Sustained capital investment is needed to support these developments. I recently announced the establishment of a £30 million capital programme to develop mental handicap services including day, residential and respite places for persons who have been assessed as in need of such places. As part of this programme £5.25 million capital funding is being provided in 1998.
Total additional spending on services for persons with physical and sensory disabilities in 1998 is £8.40 million. This will enable much needed development of these services to proceed in line with the recommendations of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities, Towards an Independent Future, £3 million was announced in the budget for development of new services. This will facilitate priority developments such as the creation of additional respite care and day care places, additional home supports, including personal assistance services and the appointment of additional therapists, such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and physiotherapists. A sum of £2.4 million has been allocated in the 1998 Estimates and this is expected to eliminate ongoing deficits in the bigger agencies. Putting the funding of existing services on a firm footing is essential to providing a sound foundation for the development of new services. A capital programme of £3 million is also being put in place.
Taken together, total Government additional funding on disability services in 1998 will be £24.45 million. This represents a major commitment to developing services to people with disabilities.
