Vol. 557 No. 5
185 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children the funding he will be making available for the improvement of services and the reduction of waiting lists at Steadfast House, Carrickmacross, County Monaghan; the steps he has taken to ensure that the intellectual disability budget will not be adversely affected by cuts in the forthcoming budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22761/02]
Additional funding has been made available to the North-Eastern Health Board in recent years to provide a range of services, including residential, respite and day services for persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism. Responsibility for the allocation of such funding is a matter for the North-Eastern Health Board. Decisions in relation to the precise details of the services to be provided from any additional funding and the individuals who will benefit from those services are a matter for the relevant health boards, in this case, the North-Eastern Health Board. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot, at this stage, comment on specific funding for any element of the health services in 2003 prior to the conclusion of the annual budget discussions.
