Vol. 525 No. 2
528 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Health and Children the allocations he makes annually to the South Eastern Health Board for identifying children with dyslexia at an early age and other special needs; the way in which this has varied over the last five years; and his plans to increase the allocation. [24393/00]
While my Department has allocated some specific funding in recent years to all health boards, including the South Eastern Health Board, to enhance the level of health related support services available to children with disabilities or other special needs, it is a matter for the individual boards, in the first instance, to identify and prioritise the distribution of funding between the various support services required by both children and adults with disabilities or special needs.
Responsibility for the provision of routine psychological assessments for school children is a matter in the first instance for the Department of Education and Science. Pending the development of a more comprehensive level of services by that Department, health boards have endeavoured to assist with the assessment of children with educational needs, such as those with dyslexia, but the primary concern of the health funded psychological services is to provide assessment and therapeutic treatment to children, adolescents and their families who present with a wide range of emotional, behavioural and psychological difficulties and development delay.
With reference to the further enhancement of the health funded assessment services, I would like to assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to the ongoing expansion of the support services required by children with disabilities and other special needs. As the Estimates discussions in relation to 2001 are still under way, I am not yet in a position to comment on any specific plans for the health services for next year.
In relation to the Deputy's query concerning these services in the South Eastern Health Board region, I have forwarded his inquiry to the chief executive officer of the board for investigation and direct reply to him.
