Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Jul 1998

Vol. 493 No. 5

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

166 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of residential places in the Eastern Health Board for persons with an intellectual disability; the number of persons waiting for placement; the estimated number of additional persons projected to become in need of residential care over the next five years; and whether the level of annual provision of additional residential places is sufficient to meet the additional demand and eliminate the waiting list over the planning horizon. [16772/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The number of residential places available to persons with a mental handicap in the Eastern Health Board region is 2,622. A total of 528 persons with a mental handicap have been assessed as requiring residential services within the next five years. I understand from the board that it is also making provision for an average of 50 emergency cases per annum based on trends to date. A percentage of those who present as emergencies would already be on the waiting list for a residential place.

The Eastern Health Board has provided 117 residential places from additional funding made available by my Department in 1998 for new developments in services to persons with a mental handicap.

The Government is committed to meeting the needs identified in the "Assessment of Need for Services to Persons with a Mental Handicap 1997 — 2001" within the period in question.