Trevor Sargent
Ceist:144 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health if he has put in place a plan of action to help the 1,500 mentally handicapped persons with no day services and the 1,450 who are without residential services. [24591/96]
Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.
Mary Wallace
Ceist:150 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will give a commitment to the parents and friends of the handicapped that his five year plan will not be affected by a public sector embargo; whether the attention of his Department has been drawn to the fact that staff operating under section 65 grants are not included in public sector employment numbers, unlike areas such as the Daughters of Charity services which provided for 597 residents in area six of the Eastern Health Board where staffing is public sector and the expansion of this service should not be restricted by embargo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24637/96]
Mary Wallace
Ceist:151 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has over the next five years to provide the 1,500 residential places required for those with a mental handicap as per the database in his Department and in view of the plans outlined by the service providers and the buoyancy in the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24638/96]
Mary Wallace
Ceist:153 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure new funding for 1997 for his five year plan in respect of the much needed 1500 residential places for those with a mental handicap; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24640/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 144, 150, 151 and 153 together.
Substantial additional funding has been made available in recent years for the development of services to persons with a mental handicap. Additional funding of £56.8 million was invested in the services for persons with a mental handicap in the period 1990-96 which has enabled health boards and voluntary organisations to put in place over 1,000 additional residential places and 2,300 day care places.
While I am satisfied that the annual injection of funds into services to persons with a mental handicap over the past number of years has made a substantial impact, I am aware that more needs to be done if the needs of those awaiting services are to be met. The Government is committed to the continued development of the services, as resources become available. This commitment is outlined in both A Government of Renewal and the health strategy, Shaping a Healthier Future.
I hope to continue the development of further services for persons with a mental handicap based on the needs identified by the National Intellectual Disability Database. My priority is to ensure that provision can be made to meet the needs of those who are currently without a service.
In relation to the issue of an embargo on posts, the current recruitment restrictions applicable to the health service do not constitute an embargo. Since the restriction on public service recruitment, 1,200 additional posts, including 339 posts for services for persons with a physical disability or a mental handicap, were allocated to health agencies in 1995 and 600 posts, including 171 for persons with a physical disability or a mental handicap, were similarly allocated in 1996. Discussions are ongoing between my Department and the Department of Finance concerning funding and the posts associated with such funding for 1997. Until these discussions are concluded it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.
When calculating health service personnel numbers, only directly funded health agencies are included. Funding for section 65 agencies is provided by way of health board budgets and as such, their employees are not included in the census.