Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2004
310 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give consideration to an application by an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 8 for emergency funding totalling €90,000 to assist the provision of its urgently needed services for young persons with special needs. [14196/04]
View answerResponsibility for the provision of funding for services, including emergency funding, in the Dublin area is a matter, in the first instance, for the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has asked its CEO to investigate the matter and to reply directly to the Deputy.
In 2004 my Department provided additional funding of €4.791 million to the authority. Included was a sum to meet the full year cost to provide residential services for emergency cases that arose during 2003. A further €5.55 million was made available to meet the costs associated with the provision of emergency placements in 2004.
311 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children if an increase in funding will be immediately allocated to the autism service of the North Western Health Board to ensure that it can provide adequate supports and services to cater specifically for children and adults with autism. [14198/04]
View answerResponsibility for the provision of funding for services to people with an intellectual disability, including people with autism, and health related support services is a matter for the North Western Health Board. Additional funding of around €16 million was provided since 1998 for services to children with intellectual disability and those with autism. Children with physical or sensory disabilities have also benefited from the additional funding provided for those services in recent years.
One of the major difficulties facing the health services in delivering support services to children and adults with disabilities, including autism, is the shortage of certain professionals such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists.
Significant progress has been achieved in boosting the number of therapy training places. Last year the Minister for Education and Science and the Minister for Health and Children announced 150 additional therapy training places in speech and language therapy and occupational therapy. There has also been a concerted overseas recruitment drive on behalf of all health boards, the introduction of a fast track working visa scheme for health and social care professionals and the streamlining of procedures for the validation of overseas qualifications. The success of these measures is reflected in the increases in speech and language therapists and occupational therapists employed in the public health service over the three year period to end of 2002, with a 73% increase in occupational therapists and a 33% increase in speech and language therapists.
While there has been significant progress in enhancing the health related support services available to children with special needs, there is a need for a continued programme of investment in this area.
