Written Answers - Handicapped Reports' Opportunities.
Noel Ahern
Ceist:
69
Mr. N. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Health
the number of handicapped pupils currently waiting for workshop places; the areas or agencies they are under; the hope, if any, he can offer a person (details supplied) in Dublin whose 24 years old son has not been offered any facilities for 18 months.
[2162/96]
The most recent information available to the Eastern Health Board suggests that there are 318 adults wait-listed for vocational training and places in sheltered workshops-sheltered employment centres. This figure includes some people leaving a service in 1996 or completing a training course who will require a place to be provided in 1996. The breakdown by agency is as follows:
|
St. John of God
|
102
|
|
Stewarts Hospital
|
11
|
|
Daughters of Charity
|
66
|
|
St. Michael's House
|
89
|
|
KARE
|
50
|
|
318
|
With reference to the individual case mentioned by the Deputy it would not be appropriate for me to give details of this person's case in my response. I will communicate the details of the case separately to the Deputy.
Information made available to my Department in early 1995 indicated that a total of around 1,500 persons with a mental handicap nationally were awaiting placement in day services including workshops. This figure does not however take account of the additional 500 places which were provided in 1995. More detailed information will become available from the National Mental Handicap Database over the coming months.
I would also like to inform the Deputy that additional funding of £10 million has been made available in 1996 for services to persons with a mental handicap.
This includes £6 million revenue funding of which £3 million is being provided to meet the 1996 cost of additional services which were put in place in 1995 and which as I have already stated included over 500 day places.
The remaining £3 million revenue funding provided in 1996 will facilitate the provision of an additional 66 residential-respite places and 265 day care places.
In addition, £4 million capital funding is being provided of which £2 million will be used to support general service developments and £2 million to develop and improve the quality of training facilities under the European Regional Development Fund assisted programme.
As the Deputy is aware, substantial additional funding has been made available in recent years for the development of services to persons with a mental handicap. Additional funding of £44.58 million invested in the services in the period 1990-95 has enabled health boards to put in place over 1,000 additional residential places and 2,100 day care places.
I am satisfied that this additional funding has made a significant impact on the number of persons with a mental handicap awaiting services. However, I am aware that more needs to be done if we are to meet the needs of all those awaiting services. The Government is committed under both the Health Strategy documentShaping a Healthier Future and A Government of Renewal to the continued development of services as resources become available.
It is also my intention, on completion of the validation process in respect of the National Mental Handicap Database later this year, to initiate a review of the implementation of both policy documentsNeeds and Abilities and Services to Persons with Autism with a view to preparing an overall medium term development plan for the services.
