Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Jan 1995

Vol. 447 No. 11

Written Answers. - Training Places.

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

83 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health if he or his predecessor met with representatives of St. Michael's House to discuss the provision of additional funding for additional leaving vocational training, level 1, places for St. Michael's House in the Dublin area; if so, the outcome of those discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3895/94]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick-East): While neither I nor my predecessor have met formally with representatives of St. Michael's House, officials from my Department meet on a regular basis with St. Michael's House and other service providers to discuss issues relating to the provision of services for persons with a mental handicap, including the need for the further development of day services.

As the Deputy is aware substantial additional funding has been made available in recent years for the development of mental handicap services. In allocating these resources, particular attention was paid to the provision of additional day care places.

In 1993 an additional £0.300 million was provided for day care services in the Eastern Health Board region. Of the additional 65 places which were provided 16 were allocated to St. Michael's House at an annual cost of £70,000.

In 1994 an additional £1.15 million was provided for day care services in the region. Of the 230 additional places provided, 52 were allocated to St. Michael's House at an annual cost of £260,000. In both years the number of day places allocated to St. Michael's House was the highest number allocated to any agency in the region.

In recent months following representations from the parents of a number of former St. Michael's House trainees, the Eastern Health Board have, at the request of my Department, been actively working to place some, if not all, of those young adults within existing day services.

As was the case in recent years, any additional funding which may be made available in 1995 for the further development of services for persons with mental handicap will be allocated by me to the various regions. The precise services to be provided in each region will then be agreed by the regional mental handicap co-ordinating/central planning committees, within the guidelines issued by my Department and subject to approval by me.

Consequently the provision of additional services and the people to benefit from those services are a matter, in the first instance, for the Eastern Health Board's Mental Handicap Central Planning Committee on which St. Michael's House is represented. The committee's proposals will take account of the identified priority needs for the region.