Vol. 480 No. 7
89 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children whether he will offer training and caring courses of a minimum of two weeks in the year to both mentally and physically handicapped patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15132/97]
Vocational training for people with disabilities is provided by health boards and voluntary agencies. The courses offered by these agencies reflect both the training needs appropriate to a person's disability and labour market opportunities. The majority of training activities for people with disabilities in Ireland is carried out with support from the European Social Fund via the Operational Programme for Human Resources (OP) 1994 to 1999. Depending on individual requirements training can last up to five years.
Services for persons with a mental handicap and those with physical and sensory disabilities, including residential and respite care services, are being developed on an ongoing basis in line with the needs outlined in the Assessment of Need for Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap — 1997-2001 published in 1997 and the recommendations contained in the report of the review group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities Towards an Independent Future published in 1996.
