Vol. 495 No. 7
396 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has considered the call made by the Irish Wheelchair Association (details supplied) for additional resources for day resource centres, aids and appliances and personal assistance services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22115/98]
397 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to develop the social infrastructure for wheelchair users (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21052/98]
401 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to build up the social infrastructive for those with a physical disability to meet their three basic needs, namely, personal assistance services, aids and appliances and local resource centres. [21110/98]
452 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children whether he has confirmed the needs set out in the recent submission by the Irish Wheelchair Association in which it identifies 1,248 people in need of day resource centres, 1,553 people in need of aids and appliances and 1,375 people in need of personal assistance services; if he will identify the extent to which he will be in a position to meet the needs of these individuals in 1999 without additional allocation of resources over and above that set out in his multi-annual Estimates; the extent to which he has made a bid for additional resources in the 1999 Estimates to meet the shortfall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21746/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 396, 397, 401 and 452 together. 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, sets out the requirements for the development of services, such as respite and residential services, community therapy services, home support services, including personal assistance services and the provision of aids and appliances.
As recommended in the report, regional co-ordinating committees for services to people with physical and sensory disabilities have been put in place in each of the health boards. One of the primary functions of the co-ordinating committees is to advise the chief executive officers of each board on priorities for the allocation of funds available for the development of services in their functional area.
In 1998, funding totalling £8.4 million was provided for the development of services to people with physical and sensory disabilities. Of this funding £2.4 million was allocated for the provision of existing services, £3 million was allocated to the health boards to decide, in consultation with their local co-ordinating committees, on the development of services to people with physical and sensory disabilities in their functional areas and £3 million was allocated for capital projects, including £1 million allocated to the health boards to address their waiting lists for aids and appliances.
Since coming into office in June 1997, this Government has provided funding totalling £18.4 million for health and personal social services to people with physical and sensory disabilities. I am not yet, however in a position to comment on the overall level of funding available in 1999.
