Vol. 563 No. 4
476 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if speech and occupational services will be allocated to a person (details supplied) in County Meath who has not had such services for over a year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8019/03]
Responsibility for the provision of services to persons with an intellectual disability or autism in the Meath region lies with the North-Eastern Health Board. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the matter and reply directly to the Deputy.
477 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children if speech and language occupational therapy will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Meath who is attending mainstream school, but requires these services to ensure their educational needs are obtained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8020/03]
Responsibility for the provision of services to persons with an intellectual disability or autism in the Meath region lies with the North-Eastern Health Board. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the matter and reply directly to the Deputy.
478 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if the committed funding of ?190,000 for the day-to-day running of the Alzheimer's centre at Kilgarvan, County Kerry, has been reduced to ?78,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8035/03]
Responsibility for the provision of health services in County Kerry is a matter for the Southern Health Board. The board has prioritised the development of a day care centre for both Alzheimer's patients and older persons in the Kilgarvan area as part of its Ageing with Confidence strategy for older people. Initial funding for the project was provided under the national development plan allocation for 2000. Capital funding amounting to €754,210 has been committed to this project by my Department, the Southern Health Board and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, under its Clár programme. The Southern Health Board also provided the site for the development.
Construction on the day care centre commenced in May 2002 and the project is now almost complete. The full year cost of running the facility on a five day week basis is calculated at €190,000, but this amount would not, of course, be required for this year. From the additional funding available to the Southern Health Board in 2003, funding of €78,000 has been provided to the centre for 2003. Officers of the Southern Health Board are in discussions with my Department and the Kilgarvan Community Council and the Alzheimer Society of Ireland in relation to the operation of the centre to determine the level of service which can be provided from the level of funding available for this year.
