Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.
Noel Ahern
Question:
523
Mr. N. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the resources made available in recent year to the intellectual disability sector; if he will report on the results of the special additional three years funding; if the expected and planned extra places were provided as planned; the reason resources were cut back in 2002; if there is still a huge backlog for residential places; the way in which estimates were so wrong; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[13252/02]
Between 1997 and the end of 2001, the previous Government invested additional revenue and capital funding amounting to €260.3 million to implement an accelerated programme of development in services to persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism. Further additional revenue and capital funding amounting to €51.525 million has been provided in 2002, bringing the overall investment in these services to nearly €312 million.
When allocating additional funding for new services, estimates are made, based on averaged costs, of the number of new residential and day places which might be expected from this funding. However these figures are subsequently adjusted to take account of the actual number of new places which are provided by the end of the year in question. As the Deputy will appreciate, the cost of providing residential and day places varies, depending on individual client needs. In 2000, which was the first year of the accelerated programme, 422 new residential and 815 new day places were provided. The original estimated figures for the services were 555 residential and 700 day places. In 2001, the original estimated figures for these services were 450 residential and 600 day places, with 395 new residential places and 700 new day places actually provided. The additional funding provided this year will enable over 100 new residential places and a further 600 day places to be put in place.
In addition to the new residential and day places mentioned above, the additional funding allocated to the services over the period in question also provided for: a significant investment in the respite services; an enhanced level of support for those already in receipt of some level of residential, day, respite or other support services; the enhancement of health related support services to children with an intellectual disability and those with autism; the continuation of the programme to transfer persons with an intellectual disability or autism from psychiatric hospitals or other inappropriate placements; the development of specialist support services for those who require a more intensive level of support; identified needs in existing services.
In April, 1999, information from the national intellectual disability database indicated that in the period 2000 to 2004, 1,677 new residential and 912 new day places were required to meet the identified needs for these services. It should be noted that in addition to the day places required to meet the needs of those awaiting placement in the services as mentioned above, the additional funding also provided for those requiring a change in day services. For example young people leaving school and requiring rehabilitative training places or those moving from rehabilitative training to other areas of the services such as sheltered work, activation or services for older people. My Department is reviewing on an ongoing basis the position in relation to the implementation of this development programme with the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards. Information will be available within the next few weeks from the national intellectual disability database in relation to the level of service provision and identified need as of 30 May 2001, which will reflect the impact of the 2000 development programme. Further information in respect of service provision and identified need as of 30 May 2002 will be available later this year. This information will also assist my Department in this matter. The national monitoring committee, which is representative of my Department, the Health Research Board, the chief executives of the health boards, the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies Providing Services to People with Intellectual Disability, the National Parents and Siblings Alliance and the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland, NAMHI, is also involved in the monitoring of this programme.
I would like to assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to fulfilling the commitment which it gave in relation to meeting the needs of this population group, as outlined in the programme for Government.
