Brian O'Shea
Question:89 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children his proposals to financially assist members of the post polio support group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7267/02]
Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.
John Bruton
Question:106 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the initiatives he proposed to put in place for those suffering the late effects of polio; if he will set up a high level committee to examine the current situation of polio survivors in a number of areas (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7345/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 106 together.
My Department is well aware of the services that people require to combat the late effects of polio. Since coming into office, this Government has allocated just over €175 million for the maintenance and development of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities. Of this, €29.616 million has been provided specifically for aids and appliances up to the end of 2001. The aids and appliances funding for this year has not yet been allocated. Also, €27.302 million has been allocated for home supports including personal assistant services from 1997 to 2002 inclusive. This level of funding is indicative of this Government's on-going commitment to the development of the broad range of home support services which are required to enable people with disabilities to live as independently as possible and also to provide relief to a significant number of carers.
At present, there are no proposals to extend automatic eligibility for medical cards to people suffering the late effects of polio. However, people who cannot, without undue hardship, arrange for the provision of medical services for themselves and their dependants may be entitled to a medical card. Eligibility for a medical card is solely a matter for the chief executive officer of the relevant health board to decide. In determining eligibility, the chief executive officer has regard to the applicant's financial circumstances. Health boards use income guidelines to assist in determining eligibility. However, where a person's income exceeds the guidelines, a medical card may be awarded if the chief executive officer considers that the person's medical needs or other circumstances would justify this. Medical cards may also be issued to individual family members on this basis. In addition, non-medical card holders, and people with conditions not covered under the long term illness scheme, can use the drugs payment scheme. Under this scheme, no individual or family unit pays more than €53.33 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines.
My Department is committed to examining the feasibility of introducing a "cost of disability" payment. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness states that the Department of Health and Children, the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and the Department of Finance will set up and participate in a working group which will consult with the social partners to examine the feasibility of introducing a cost of disability payment. The working group has commenced its work. It is being chaired by the Department of Health and Children and also includes representatives of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, Department of Finance, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
In response to my concern regarding current severe labour shortages affecting the therapy professions nation-wide, my Department commissioned a report from Dr Peter Bacon and Associates on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for certain professional therapists including speech and language therapists. The study, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of workforce requirement for qualified personnel in these areas to 2015, was published on 25 July 2002. The report concludes that a major expansion is essential in the numbers of therapy professionals over the next fifteen years including a fourfold increase in speech and language therapists. This will require a significant increase in training places with a recommended annual increase of 75 course places for speech and language therapy. I am working closely with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to ensure the rapid provision of the additional places as an urgent priority. To this end an inter-agency working group has been established comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The Higher Education Authority has initiated a formal bidding process between third level educational institutions to respond to the training needs identified in the study.