Vol. 490 No. 4
120 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the extent to which he will meet the requirements for respite or full-time care for those with disabilities over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10380/98]
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, including the development of day services, residential and respite care services for people with a physical and sensory disability, over a five year period.
An additional £8.4 million has been provided for these services in 1998. Of this £2.4 million is for the elimination of underfunding of existing services, £3 million is for capital projects and £3 million is for the development of services. Priorities for the allocation of the £3 million development funding will be decided by the health boards following consultation with the local co-ordinating committees. The provision of additional respite and residential places will be considered in this context.
The Assessment of Need for Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap 1997-2001, which was published by my Department last year and is based on information from the National Intellectual Disability Database, sets out the level of unmet need and the changing pattern of need over the next few years. The assessment identified a requirement for 1,439 new residential-respite places and 1,036 new day places over the period in question, at a revenue cost of £63.5 million.
