Vol. 522 No. 2
234 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children the measures he has taken to improve the position of the mentally handicapped particularly in relation to residential places and respite breaks; his plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18090/00]
Significant revenue funding has been allocated this year to support the development of additional services to persons with an intellectual disability and autism with an annual cost of £35 million. Because of the timeframe involved in bringing all of the new services planned for 2000 on stream, the actual cost of these services in 2000 will be £28 million. This funding is in addition to the £10.7 million already allocated to the services in 2000 to meet the full year costs of the 1999 developments and identified needs in existing services. This brings the total additional revenue funding provided in 2000 for the services to £38.7 million, increasing to £45.7 million on 1 January 2001. It is anticipated that this additional revenue funding will provide 555 new residential places, 185 new respite places, 700 new day places, health related support services for persons with autism, the continuation of the programme to transfer persons with an intellectual disability from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements, and additional specialist and other support services.
The national development plan provides a new framework within which unprecedented capital investment will be made in the health services in the period from 2000-06. In the area of intellectual disability services, this investment focuses on three main areas, the provision of new facilities from which a broad range of support services, including residential, respite and day services, can be delivered, the renovation of existing facilities, and the continuation of the programme to transfer persons with an intellectual disability from inappropriate placements.
Additional capital funding of £30 million is being made available in 2000, £40 million in 2001 and £10 million in 2002. This is a total of £80 million over the next three years, to support these developments.
The additional funding provided in 2000 brings the total revenue and capital funding provided by this Government to date for these services to £121.7 million, with a full year cost of £128.7 million in 2001.
