Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 6

Written Answers. - Carers' Association Funding.

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

59 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the home care assistance programme being provided by the Carers Association in the areas of Dublin, Waterford, Laois, Kerry, West Dublin and South Meath and the fact that these people are seeking additional funds of £65,000 in 1995 to continue to develop these services to Cork city and county and other regions; if his attention has further been drawn to the respite care service being provided in the Dublin area by the same organisation and their request to the Government to provide £35,000 per annum over the next three years for the development of this much needed service; the support, if any, the Government is prepared to give to these services being established by this voluntary organisation. [4203/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): As Minister for Health, I am very conscious of the contribution made by carers to the maintenance of dependent people in their own homes.

I am aware that my colleague, the Minister for Social Welfare, made a grant of £30,000 from the scheme of grants to respite care available to the Carer's Association in 1994 to assist them in the compilation of a register of respite workers, a placement service and the provision of assistance for needy carers. However, while the Carer's Association referred to the need for £65,000 to fund the development of the Home Care Assistance Service in the Cork and other regions in their pre-budget submission, no formal application for assistance has yet been submitted to my Department. On receipt of such application I will have it examined by the health boards responsible and consider it in the light of the resources available for respite care and the demands of other interested groups.