Vol. 480 No. 2
185 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has and the timescale involved to provide the necessary residential places, day services and psychiatric places for persons (details supplied) with a mental disability in the Eastern Health Board area. [13796/97]
186 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the number of persons on the priority waiting list for residential care at the St. Vincent's Centre, Navan Road, Dublin 7; and the steps, if any, he will take to enable the centre to provide the necessary places to clear the priority list. [13797/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.
The Government has set out its commitment to develop services for persons with a mental handicap in An Action Programme for the Millennium. A key priority will include substantially improving services for persons with a mental handicap and autism especially in relation to the provision of adequate residential facilities over the period of the Government.
The sum of £3.24 million revenue has been provided in 1997 to the Eastern Health Board for the development of services to persons with a mental handicap. This funding will enable the health board to provide additional day care and residential/respite places, to improve services for persons with autism and to continue the ongoing programme to transfer persons with a mental handicap from inappropriate placements, including psychiatric hospitals, to more appropriate care settings.
Details of the precise services to be put in place with this funding is a matter for the central planning committee, which includes representatives of the voluntary bodies providing mental handicap services in the region.
There are 54 persons with a mental handicap on the priority waiting list for residential services in the Daughters of Charity Services, St. Vincent's Centre, Navan Road. The sum of £165,000 is being allocated this year to the Daughters of Charity Services in the Eastern Health Board region for the provision of additional day care and residential places.
