Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Apr 1997

Vol. 478 No. 3

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

31 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health if the current priority list for residential care, as confirmed by the database validation exercise conducted by his Department in 1996, will be cleared during the life of the proposed five year plan and statement of needs. [10964/97]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. O'Shea)

The Government's commitment to develop services to persons with a mental handicap, within overall resource parameters and based on the needs identified by the National Intellectual Disability Database, is outlined in Partnership 2000 for Inclusion, Employment and Competitiveness. That Assessment of Need 1997-2001 is now available and I am having copies circulated to the House.

Additional funding amounting to £12 million has been made available in 1997 for the development of services, including additional residential/respite and day care places to begin the process of meeting these needs.