Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Jul 1998

Vol. 493 No. 5

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

163 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the current and projected annual requirements in relation to respite, long-stay and respite for carers as set out by the voluntary organisations involved in the provision of facilities for those with physical or sensory disabilities; the degree to which his current proposals or projections address this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16762/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The requirements for the development of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, including the respite care mentioned by the Deputy, are set out in the Report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities — Towards an Independent Future — published in December 1996. The voluntary organisations involved in providing these services were represented on the review group. The report distinguishes between respite care services provided in non-residential and residential settings for people with physical and sensory disabilities. The principal recommendations regarding the requirements for the development of these services are as follows:

Non-residential services

The provision of an additional 100 whole-time-equivalent nurses to meet the needs of the increasing number of people with disabilities who can be cared for at home; the extension of the twilight nursing service to ensure uniform availability of the service throughout the country; the provision of an additional 1,600 places in day service facilities; the provision of £5 million, phased in over a three year period, for the development of personal assistance services; and an increase of 40, over the next five years, in the number of social workers providing support services to people with disabilities;

Residential services

The immediate provision of 200 dedicated respite places; the provision of appropriate respite facilities for children; the provision of an additional 100 residential places in dedicated facilities to be provided as soon as possible; and the provision of an additional 200 places for persons with long-term disabilities requiring constant nursing care.

The additional funding made available by this Government — £10 million in 1997 and £8.4 million in 1998 — for the maintenance and development of services, including respite care, for people with physical and sensory disabilities represents a major step towards meeting the recommendations contained in the reportTowards an Independent Future.

Two key recommendations in that report are the establishment of co-ordinating committees for physical and sensory disability services within each health board and the setting up of a database on the health service needs of persons with physical and sensory disabilities. The establishment of the co-ordinating committees, which will have a significant input into the formulation of policy, the prioritisation of expenditure and the setting up of the database, are crucial elements in the development of these services. The co-ordinating committees have been established within each health board and, following the recent completion of a joint database pilot project in three health board areas, I will shortly be setting up a national database development committee.