Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 1

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Brendan Smith

Question:

237 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Health and Children the stage of planning of the proposed regional assessment and treatment centre for children with physical disabilities to be located in Cavan as proposed by the North Eastern Health Board and Cerebral Palsy Ireland; when funding will be allocated in respect of this project; when construction will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15369/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

It is a matter for the health boards, in consultation with their regional co-ordinating committees for physical and sensory disabilities, to decide on priority services for development in their functional area having regard to the recommendations of the report of the review group on health and personal social services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, Towards an Independent Future. This report recommended the establishment of regional child assessment teams in each health board and my Department is fully committed to the implementation of this recommendation in respect of each health board area.

The North Eastern Health Board has identified the establishment of a regional child development and assessment service as a priority. Proposals have been drawn up jointly by the North Eastern Health Board and Cerebral Palsy Ireland and their comprehensive model for services and costed business plan has the support of their regional co-ordinating committee for physical and sensory disability services. The three year plan provides for two centre based locations, one in Cavan and one in Drogheda, providing interdisciplinary specialist assessment and consultant services for all children with physical disability, sensory impairment and developmental delay throughout the area. Children from the local areas will also attend for ongoing centre-based therapy while satellite centres will be established in Monaghan and Meath to provide ongoing therapy programmes for children from these counties. The first phase of the plan relates to the development of the regional assessment and treatment centre in Cavan and the satellite centre in Dunshaughlin, County Meath.

Ongoing revenue funding was allocated by the health board last year for a number of additional paediatric therapy posts to support the outreach services for children with physical and sensory disabilities and this year additional ongoing revenue has been allocated for the first phase of the implementation of the joint regional assessment and treatment service in Cavan and Meath. Recruitment has commenced for the core teams and the service will commence this year.

Indicative allocations for capital funding under the national development plan over the next seven years 2000-07 have been advised to the health boards and fully comprehend the capital funding requirements for assessment and treatment centres in each of the health board areas, including the North Eastern Health Board. Building of the regional assessment and treatment centre in Cavan is at the planning stage at health board level and it is proposed that in the interim, services will be delivered from temporary accommodation.