Vol. 409 No. 6
141 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the current facilities and places available for the speech and language training of the mentally handicapped on the north side of Dublin city; the proposals he has for the expansion of those services; if in particular he will consider the opening of a second centre on the north side of Dublin city and if he will make a statement on the matter.
There are six full-time and one sessional posts of speech therapist providing services to people with mental handicap in Dublin North. Two of those posts are vacant and interviews are being held. In addition there are nine full-time and two part-time speech therapists employed in the Eastern Health Board Community Care Programme whose caseload includes people with mental handicap.
Under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress the Government are committed to the development of services for people with mental handicap in accordance with the recommendations of the report of the Review Group on Mental Handicap Services. This development of services will include speech therapy. Plans are being prepared in each health board area for mental handicap services which will be implemented in line with the resources made available under the programme.
