Dan Neville
Question:164 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people who are autistic in each county. [13776/00]
Vol. 519 No. 3
164 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of people who are autistic in each county. [13776/00]
177 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will outline the services from the health services for people who are autistic. [13883/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 177 together.
As the Deputy is aware, the provision of health related support services for children and adults with autism is the responsibility of the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority in the first instance. These services include assessment, early intervention services, outreach services provided by multidisciplinary support teams, day, residential and respite services. While new additional services specifically for persons with autism have been and will continue to be developed, many persons with autism are in receipt of services within the intellectual disability services and have benefited generally from the development of new residential, respite and day services which have been substantially enhanced in recent years. However, the Government recognised that there was a need to accelerate the pace at which the identified needs of persons with autism and those with an intellectual disability were being met and is committed to meeting those needs within a defined timeframe of three years, starting with a major acceleration of investment, both capital and revenue, this year.
The additional revenue funding being allocated in 2000 is designed to support the opening of additional services with an annual cost of £35 million. The services being provided with this funding include the development and enhancement of health related support services for persons with autism. Additional capital funding amounting to £80 million is being made available over the three year period 2000 to 2002 to accelerate the process of putting in place the necessary infrastructure to support the services.