asked the Minister for Health when he expects to be in a position to issue the White Paper on the Report of the Commission on Mental Handicap, promised for last June.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Commission on Mental Handicap.
47.
I hope to have the White Paper on Mental Handicap published before the end of the year.
Could the Minister say why the original estimate that this Report would be available in June has been so far short of target?
I suppose I had better take responsibility for that but I want to make it clear that, in so far as the Department itself is concerned, provision was made for 280 places last year and 250 this year. It seemed to me perhaps more important that we should actually care for the mentally handicapped than prepare the Paper.