Vol. 503 No. 6
161 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, the Government has to introduce legislation which would require all service providers in the mental and physical handicapped areas to have parent representatives on the boards of management of various homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10753/99]
The Government has no plans to introduce legislation which would require all agencies providing health related support services to persons with a mental handicap and those with a physical and sensory disability to have parent representatives on their boards of management.
A major proportion of services for people with disabilities are provided by voluntary agencies. Many of these agencies are parent and friends associations with parental representation on their boards of management. For others, and in particular the religious orders involved in this area, this issue can present particular difficulties because of the structures within which they work.
I am aware, however, that the Federation of Voluntary Bodies Providing Services to People with Mental Handicap, which represents voluntary agencies in this area, has met with the parents group set up by the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland (NAMHI) to discuss this and other related matters with a view to putting in place mechanisms which will increase parental involvement in all aspects of the services.
