Vol. 415 No. 4
182 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health if she will make available to St. Michael's House, Ballymun, Dublin 9, the necessary funds to cover transport cost for a five and a half year old mentally handicapped child (details supplied) to attend the developmental child care centre for three days a week in view of the fact that this child has been getting no care outside the home since June 1991.
The position regarding the case referred to by the Deputy is that St. Michael's House gave the young girl a trial period in their school in Skerries which proved unsuccessful. She was subsequently assessed for and offered a place at their child development day centre in Ballymun which she has been unable to take up due to transport difficulties. The Eastern Health Board are presently negotiating with St. Michael's House regarding the provision of transport and it is hoped that this matter can be resolved in the light of the special extra allocation being made available to the mental handicap services.
