Gay Mitchell
Question:299 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will address the issue of autism as raised by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26733/02]
Vol. 559 No. 5
299 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will address the issue of autism as raised by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26733/02]
Additional funding has been made available annually in recent years to the health boards in respect of the provision of health related support services for persons with autism and those with an intellectual disability. In particular, €14.6 million has been invested in health related support services for children with autism or intellectual disability nationally between 1998 and 2002. A further €3.3 million has been allocated to these services in 2003. This includes diagnostic and assessment services, early intervention, home support and outreach support to children of school going age. In addition to this ring-fenced funding, children with disabilities would also have benefited from the additional therapy posts which have been put in place in services for persons with physical or sensory disabilities.
Many health boards and specialist service providers have been experiencing difficulties in recruiting allied health professionals and specifically speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists. This is due primarily to the general shortage of available staff in these grades nationally. Health boards and agencies have been and are continuing to undertake intensive recruitment drives at home and abroad. My Department has asked the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority to explore other approaches which might result in the maintenance of an existing level of service provision or enhancement in line with agreed services developments for children using the resources allocated to the services. It is a matter for the ERHA and the health boards to decide on the specific approaches which they may consider appropriate in this area.