Olivia Mitchell
Question:340 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to provide for an independent inspectorate for residential facilities for the disabled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3341/03]
Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.
The social services inspectorate was established in April 1999, initially on administrative basis, but it is proposed to establish it on a statutory basis. The main function of the inspectorate is to support the child care services by promoting and ensuring the development of quality standards. The SSI will monitor all personal social services operated by the health boards, in the longer term, but initially it is concentrating on the child care area and in particular on the inspection of health board operated residential child care facilities.
The inspection of residential facilities for children with disabilities was excluded from the remit of the SSI under the Child Care Act 1991. This exclusion was however revoked in the Children Act 2001. A steering group chaired by the Department of Health and Children and comprising representatives of the Department, the chief executive officers of the health boards, the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the chief inspector of the SSI oversees the operation of the SSI. The process of inspection has been agreed. A national set of standards against which all children's residential homes, both statutory and non-statutory, are being inspected was published in September 2001. An examination of these standards will begin within the next few weeks with a view to ensuring that they encompass the particular needs of children with disabilities.
The national health strategy, Quality and Fairness, has set 2003 as the target date for the establishment of the SSI on a statutory basis. It also states that the remit of the SSI will be extended to cover residential care for older people and adults with disabilities. Establishing the SSI on a statutory basis will strengthen its role and will provide it with the necessary underpinning of independence in the performance of its functions. It will also serve to increase public confidence in state and voluntary social services. Work is in progress on the drafting of a statutory instrument to enable the SSI to be established on a statutory footing.
Question No. 341 answered with Question No. 156.
Question No. 342 answered with Question No. 152.
Olivia Mitchell
Question:343 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if Department of Finance sanction will be sought immediately for the release of the ?20 million required to provide the minimum emergency residential services for the intellectually disabled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3344/03]
Seamus Healy
Question:390 Mr. Healy asked the Minister for Health and Children if funding will be made available for the 1,711 individuals with intellectual disability living at home who require full-time care, the 861 who require a day service and the 1,014 who require a respite service, in view of the fact that no funding is allocated for new service developments in 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3558/03]
Finian McGrath
Question:400 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether there is a crisis in the services for people with intellectual disabilities; and his plans to resolve this emergency issue. [3591/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 343, 390 and 400 together.
I am aware of the concerns regarding the provision of services to persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism.
Between 1997 and 2002, an extra €188 million in revenue and €139 million in capital funding has been provided, making a total additional investment of €327 million for the maintenance and development of services to persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism. In the current year, further additional funding of €13.3 million has been allocated to services for persons with an intellectual disability or autism to meet the full-year cost of the 2002 developments and to further enhance the health related support services to children with an intellectual disability or autism. This funding brings the total extra investment in these services to €340 million over seven years. Of this total, over €200 million has been built into the ongoing budget base.
This funding has brought about very significant and unprecedented developments in the services. Between 1997 and 2002, around 1,700 extra residential places have been provided, with most of these based in the community. This figure includes new residential respite places which were developed in 1997 and 1998. Between 1999 and 2002, about 465 dedicated respite places were also provided. In addition, the period from 1997 to 2002 saw the provision of around 2,950 new day places.
Despite this very significant investment, demographic factors are contributing to growing waiting lists for residential services in particular, even though the number of people in receipt of services, including full-time residential services, continues to increase. The increased birth rate in the 1960s and 1970s has resulted in large numbers of adults in their late 20s and early 30s requiring full-time residential services. In addition, people with an intellectual disability are living longer than previously, adding to the need for services compared to the need in previous generations. This has also been the international experience in service provision to this population.
The overall economic position in 2003 has had implications for all aspects of public investment, and this is reflected in the Estimates and budget adopted by the Government for 2003. Within this overall framework, however, some two thirds of the additional funding available for non-capital investment in services has been allocated to the health services.
This funding is being applied largely to maintaining existing levels of service across all service programmes, including services for people with an intellectual disability. While it is regrettable that the level of investment in these services achieved in recent years could not be maintained in 2003, my Department will work closely with the health boards and other service providers in respect of service provision this year.
Question No. 344 answered with Question No. 118.
Question No. 345 answered with Question No. 111.
Question No. 346 answered with Question No. 104.
Question No. 347 answered with Question No. 98.
Question No. 348 answered with Question No. 141.
Questions Nos. 349 and 350 answered with Question No. 110.
Question No. 351 answered with Question No. 151.
Question No. 352 answered with Question No. 117.
Question No. 353 answered with Question No. 325.