Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 Mar 1993

Vol. 427 No. 7

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

54 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Health if he will give priority in the 1993 Estimates to assist those with mental handicap and particularly to the need for substantial funding to implement the commitments in the 1990 report Needs and Abilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

I would like to inform the Deputy that the Government is determined to develop and expand the services for people with mental handicap. The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to the provision of additional funding to enable the recommendations of the Review Group on Mental Handicap Services —Needs and Abilities— to be accelerated. This report, which was published in 1990, provides the guiding principle for the future direction of the mental handicap services which is, the development of each person's potential to live as full and independent a life as possible. I will be working closely with the Minister for Equality and Law Reform to ensure that this principle is put into practice throughout the country.

The 1993 Estimates of my Department include provision to maintain, in real terms, the 1992 level of services this year. In respect of the mental handicap agencies directly funded by my Department, an allocation of £104.7 million has been made available, which represents an increase of £7.3 million or 7.5 per cent on the final 1992 allocation.

With the special additional funding announced by the Minister for Finance in his budget speech, it will be possible to put in place this year significant improvements in services in addition to strengthening existing services for people with mental handicap.

I am proposing to implement a package of measures which will address the most acute needs for service developments. Additional funds will be made available throughout the country, with particular attention to the health boards with the greatest number of clients without services. This funding will be on top of the additional funding of £6 million made available in 1992, which is being repeated this year.

Consequently the following additional services will be put in place for people with a mental handicap and their families this year: an additional 70 residential places, an additional 200 day places, an extension of respite services to support families, this extension will make progress towards the point where planned respite breaks will be available, on a regular basis, to all families and carers, additional home support services for 800-900 families, improved services for those who are behaviourally disturbed, further transfers of people with mental handicap from psychiatric hospitals to more appropriate placements within the mental handicap services and an extension of early intervention and child development services.

The actual services to be provided will be agreed in each health board area by the Regional Mental Handicap Co-ordinating Committee, which are representative of the health boards, voluntary agencies and parents, and approved by my Department. The boards will shortly be given details of the allocation of this additional funding.