Vol. 511 No. 2
117 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding allocated by his Department to agencies involved with people with mental handicap for the purposes of hepatitis B vaccination in each of the years from 1995 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23987/99]
118 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding allocated to each health board area for hepatitis B vaccination of people with mental handicap in each of the years from 1995 to date. [23988/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together.
The Immunisation Advisory Committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland recommends immunisation against hepatitis B for patients and carers in institutions for persons with mental handicap. Additional revenue funding of £300,000 was provided to the health boards and voluntary mental handicap agencies by my Department in 1995 to enable the provision of hepatitis B vaccination for staff working in the mental handicap services and for client groups considered to be at risk. This funding has continued to be provided in the agencies' budgets.
