Vol. 491 No. 3
311 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the application by the Galway Autism Society through the Western Health Board for funding for the refurbishment and staffing of Tígh Ronan, Laurel Park, Newcastle, Galway and a house at Clyhaun Heights which could provide eight residential beds and two to three respite beds for a large number of applicants for these services in Galway city and county. [12277/98]
A sum £16 million additional revenue and capital funding was made available in 1998 for the development of services to persons with a mental handicap. Of this £742,000 additional revenue funding was allocated to the Western Health Board for the development of new services to persons with a mental handicap. A sum of £5.25 million capital funding has been made available as part of the £30 million capital programme for services to persons with a mental handicap which I announced late last year. The capital programme will run over four years in tandem with An Assessment of Need for Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap 1997-2001 and is essential to ensure that the necessary physical infrastructure is in place to enable the new residential, respite and day services to be provided.
