Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 6

Written Answers. - Health Services.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

173 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the condition of dyspraxia; the services available to persons with this condition; his views on whether the health authorities have still to put a care programme in place to deal satisfactorily with the needs of sufferers of this condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10931/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Dyspraxia is the impairment of the ability to per form co-ordinated movements and can result from a variety of neurological conditions. It is a clinical diagnosis made by a clinician in the light of presenting complaints by individual patients. Services to persons with this condition would be provided by the health boards or by non-Government organisations on behalf of the boards as part of the generic community services.