Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Mar 1966

Vol. 221 No. 12

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mental Defectives.

65.

Mr. L'Estrange

asked the Minister for Health if he will state (a) the number of institutions, including voluntary institutions, catering for mental defectives, and, in the case of voluntary institutions, the names of the control communities and the location of the institutions, and (b) the amount of and the nature of any State contribution paid to voluntary institutions, and the number of patients catered for in each.

Mr. O'Malley

There are 20 special institutions approved by me which provide residential care for mentally handicapped persons. The information requested by the Deputy in regard to these institutions is contained in a tabular statement which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

In addition, health authorities maintain a number of mentally handicapped persons—mostly adults—in the district mental hospitals and in the county homes.

Following is the statement:—

Institution	Administered by	Accommodation on 18/3/66	Amount of Capital Grants paid from Hospitals Trust Fund (for Mental Handicap purposes) to 18/3/66 —see footnote (a)	Weekly capitation rates payable by Health Authorities —see footnote (b)
M.	F.	T.
					£	£	s.	d.
Stewart's Hospital, Palmerstown, Co. Dublin	Committee of Management	189	110	299	154,359	9	10	0
St. Augustine's, Obelisk Park, Blackrock	Brothers of St. John of God	216	—	216	64,102	7	7	0
St. Mary's Drumcar, County Louth	do.	370	—	370	417,953
St. Raphael's, Celbridge	Brothers of St. John of God	194	—	194	245,982	7	7	0
House of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Lota, Co. Cork	Bros. of Charity	249	—	249	236,500	5	10	0
Holy Family School, Renmore, Galway	do.	110	—	110	97,202
Kilcornan House, Clarenbridge, Galway	do.	100	—	100	96,661
St. Michael's Adult Mentally Handicapped Training Centre, Belmont Park, Waterford	do.	60	—	60	Nil
St. Vincent's, Cabra, Dublin	Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul	44	465	509	27,548	5	0	0
St. Joseph's, Clonsilla, County Dublin	do.	—	266	266	276,057
House of the Holy angels, Glenmaroon, Co. Dublin	do.	—	230	230	83,566
St. Vincent's, Lisnagry, County Limerick	do.	—	110	110	168,518
St. Teresa's Home, Blackrock, County Dublin	do.	—	94	94	27,942
St. Mary's, Delvin, County Westmeath	Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary	—	123	123	178,266	6	0	0
Moore Abbey, Monasterevan, County Kildare	Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary	—	103	103	5,427	6	0	0
La Sagesse Convent, Cregg House, Sligo	Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom	—	144	144	230,439	4	0	0
Queen of Angels School, Montenotte, Cork	Cork Polio and General After-Care Association	24	84	108	Nil	3	10	0	(5-day centre)
St. Elizabeth's, Beech Hill, Cork	do.	20	20	40	10,000	4	0	0
St. Paul's School, Montenotte, Cork	do.	24	60	84	Nil	3	10	0	(5-day centre)
Peamount Hospital, Newcastle, County Dublin	Board of Governors	65	—	65	Nil	5	0	0
	TOTAL	1,665	1,809	3,474

(a) These amounts do not necessarily represent, in each case, the cost of providing the institutions in question. In some cases the institutions were previously used for other purposes and in other cases they were provided by the authorities operating them from their own funds.

(b) Capitation rates are approved by the Minister and are related to the operating costs as revealed in the audited accounts: they are subject to regular review; 50% of the expenditure is refunded to Health Authorities from the Vote for the Department of Health.

Mr. L'Estrange

Is the Minister aware that in some cases unfortunate children have been waiting for five and six years to gain admission to these hospitals? Is there anything being done at present to eliminate the delay?

Mr. O'Malley

Yes. This is one of the great tragedies and one of the biggest tasks with which my Department is confronted. I set out in great detail some weeks ago what the problem is as we see it, what the waiting list is in the various counties and the proposals we have to tackle the problem.

Mr. L'Estrange

Is it not true that at present there are unfortunate children on the waiting list for five, six and in some cases seven years?

Mr. O'Malley

That is correct, unfortunately.

Mr. L'Estrange

It is a tragedy in the 20th century. It is a good honest answer. It is a pity the Minister was not there for the past 20 years instead of some of his colleagues.