The 1998 allocation for the development of services in the mid west region for those with a mental handicap is totally inadequate. It does not meet the immediate and urgent needs of persons in the region with a mental handicap. I call on the Minister to immediately increase the allocation as the funds available for the provision of residential services are pitiful.
There is an immediate and urgent requirement for the provision of 31 residential places but the Minister's allocation will only provide nine places. In 1997 the agencies suggested as a strategy that for an extra outlay it would provide for more clients than was indicated by the Department of Health. The strategy was implemented by the agencies but the additional funding was not forthcoming. The additional outlay of £110,000 has been transferred into the 1998 allocation giving a net allocation of a mere £390,000. It is most regrettable the agencies are unable to continue such initiatives given that the merits of any such actions will not be recognised.
The provision of services to children in the region is totally inadequate, particularly in the area of assessment and advice in pre-school services. The services will remain inadequate, even to answer the basic needs of parents and children in the foreseeable future. Last Friday, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health and Children met the representatives of the parents and friends of the mentally handicapped. The meeting was requested by the parents and friends to discuss the crisis in services in the mid-west where 31 people require residential care and 42 require day care services. The Taoiseach was informed of the ongoing anger and frustration of the parents who await services. Detailed discussion took place and the friends and parents outlined that approximately £2 million — revenue and capital — is required to provide the necessary services for the people involved.
The friends and parents of the mentally handicapped received a letter from the Minister, Deputy Cowen, today. Regrettably, his reply was most disappointing. He restated a number of plans and expenditure items already in the pipeline and which are well known to the friends and parents. Unfortunately for those in urgent need, he made it clear there will be no additional funding to address the immediate problem. Yet again those unfortunate people and their families must wait. Will the Minister re-examine his stance? If the political will exists, the money will be provided.
The Taoiseach, in identifying needs, said that an additional £500,000 was provided. I question this figure as £110,000 was taken from the agencies to provide services; therefore, the net figure is £390,000. The Minister's letter confirmed the Mid-Western Health Board has identified that 73 people are in urgent need of care. He outlined his capital programme of £30 million over four years but revenue must be included for staffing and services, buildings are useless without services. There is an urgency to outline the revenue to service the capital programme.
In his letter, the Minister confirmed the major building project at Lisnagry is at stage 3 of the planning and design process and will commence later this year. However, I remind him that his predecessor, Deputy Noonan, announced this last year and it has been in the pipeline since. This will facilitate the transfer of 36 people from St. Joseph's psychiatric hospital to the new centre at St. Vincent's in Lisnagry. The Minister stated he was fully committed to the allocation of £30 million for the capital programme nationally, of which £2 million is required in the mid-west.
There have been many announcements over the past number of weeks, all of which dealt with projects already in the pipeline. The parents and friends of the mentally handicapped in the mid-west ask that the same be done for them. They want the project and the money allocated to it brought forward so that they can get over the difficulty facing the 73 people with immediate needs. Will he treat these services similar to sport and community projects in the area, which are also welcome?