Jack Wall
Ceist:217 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide funding for extra facilities at a special school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22386/97]
Written Answers. - School Funding.
Willie Penrose
Ceist:227 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the concerns expressed by parents of children at St. Anne's, Shan Ross Abbey, Roscrea, County Tipperary regarding the lack of a school nurse, access to speech therapy, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy; and the action, if any, he will take to remedy these deficiencies. [21947/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 227 together.
The provision of services to persons with a mental handicap in the Roscrea area is the responsibility, in the first instance, of the Mid-Western Health Board. I understand from the Mid-Western Health Board that the board and St. Anne's, Roscrea, which is the principal mental handicap service provider in the area, has encountered difficulties in both recruiting and retaining speech therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists in the services mentioned by the Deputy. The vacancies in these grades are being advertised and arrangements are being made, where possible, to put in place some element of service provision in the interim by contracting for these services on a sessional basis.