Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 5

Written Answers. - Capital Developments.

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

345 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he can give commitments on funding to service providers making contracts with the developers to provide housing to clients as part of the developers Part 5 obligations; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many such arrangements are being made for capital developments in the absence of revenue funding. [14531/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O'Malley)

In the case of the health services, the majority of persons in respect of which arrangements of the nature referred to by the Deputy would apply would be persons with disabilities and those with mental illness. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot at this stage comment on specific funding for any element of the health services in 2004 prior to the conclusion of the annual Estimates and budget discussions.

In relation to the arrangements which service providers may make concerning the provision of housing which would require revenue funding from the health services, it would be a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant health board to ensure that the facilities resulting from any such agreements meet the priority needs which have been identified for the particular services. These discussions would be informed by the information made available to my Department by the health boards regarding service needs in their region and their requirements in addressing those needs.