Vol. 482 No. 6
286 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his Department will increase the number of respite care facilities available in order to ease the stress on carers of mentally and physically handicapped people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18631/97]
The report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities, Towards an Independent Future, which was published in December 1996, sets out the requirements for the development of services, the development of day services, residential and respite care services for people with a physical and sensory disability. The process of implementing the report is under way. As a first step, the boards are in the process of putting in place co-ordinating committees to examine and prioritise the future development of services at local level.
As recommended by the review group report, an additional £2.188 million was built into the health board allocations in 1997 to help put existing physical and sensory disability services, including existing respite services, on a more secure financial footing. In addition, a further £1 million revenue was provided in 1997 for priority developments mentioned in the report, of which £176,100 was used for day activity centres and respite care. Furthermore, I recently approved a once off grant of £600,00 towards the capital costs of Donamon Castle, County Roscommon, a centre providing residential, respite and day activity services for people with physical and sensory disabilities.
My Departments' Assessment of the Need for Services for Persons with a Mental Handicap 1997 - 2001 which is based on information from the national intellectual disability database, provides information on the current and future needs of persons with mental handicap, including the need for respite care facilities. That assessment identified a requirement for 1,439 new residential respite places and 1.036 new day places over the next five years. Additional funding of £12 million was made available in 1997 to begin the process of meeting these needs.
The development of respite services for people with disabilities will be a priority in 1998 and will be done in the context of additional funding available in 1998.
