Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.
Denis Naughten
Question:
804
Mr. Naughten
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the funds he intends to provide to maintain people with significant disabilities in the community; the plans he has to create appropriate accommodation for such people; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[19636/03]
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has, since 1997, allocated significant levels of funding across the disability sector which has resulted in substantial advances in the quality and quantity of the health related services which are being provided for people with disabilities.
Additional funding of €27 million was allocated to services for persons with disabilities in 2003 to meet the full year costs of 2002 developments and to further enhance the services in the sector. This funding is in addition to the very significant rev enue investment, amounting to €288 million which has been made in these services in recent years and which is built into the ongoing budget base.
Approximately €100 million in additional ongoing revenue has, since 1997, been provided with regard to the maintenance and development of services to people with physical and sensory disabilities. Such services include residential, respite, home support services which include personal assistance services, therapy services and day care services. A significant proportion of this funding, over €20 million, has been provided specifically for home support services. A further €81 million has been provided in once-off grants for capital projects and issues such as the provision of technical aids and appliances.
The overall economic position in 2003 has had implications for all aspects of public investment, as 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 service.
I wish to advise the Deputy that I announced in July 2003 that additional revenue and capital funding of €50 million was being made available to services for people with disabilities by my Department in 2003. Of this, €15 million is being made available for services to people with intellectual disability and those with autism to meet costs associated with emergency residential placements during 2003, the provision of day services for young adults who have just left school and some enhancement of the health related support services for children.
The provision of the revenue funding, in particular, will provide around 175 emergency places and over 600 day places and will enable the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards to address key issues of concern which had been identified by the various representative groups. The allocation of this additional €50 million is further evidence of the Government's commitment to supporting people with disabilities and their families.
