Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 1

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

John Bruton

Question:

227 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will allocate substantial funds to a group (details supplied) in County Westmeath which provides an excellent service to people with a mental handicap including meaningful employment, education and recreational activities; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the group wishes to refurbish its unit in Athboy, County Meath to provide an activation day centre for adults with learning disabilities plus foster community integration, if he will support this application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15183/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Decisions on the allocation of funding for new developments in services to persons with disabilities are a matter for individual health boards and are taken in line with the priorities which have been identified for each region through the established planning and consultative structures. This applies to both revenue and capital funding for new service developments. All of the capital funding available to my Department to support the development of services to persons with an intellectual disability in 2000 has been notified to the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority.

In relation to the refurbishment of a unit in Athboy for day service purposes, an application for lottery funding for this project has been received by my Department and is being considered. I advise the group in question to continue to liaise with the area manager for disabilities in County Meath in relation to the development of new disability services in line with the agreed priorities for the region.