Vol. 496 No. 7
162 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of health board centres providing speech therapy by community care area in the Eastern Health Board area; the number of speech therapists per centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24110/98]
163 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of clients receiving speech therapy at each centre providing this service in the Eastern Health Board area; the number on waiting lists for each centre for speech therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24111/98]
164 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will ensure that speech therapy is provided by the Eastern Health Board in the Dublin 12 area to ensure that those who need this vital service have it at their disposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24112/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 162, 163 and 164 together.
The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. It will be furnished to the Deputy when it is to hand.
As recommended in the report of the Review Group on Health and Personal Social Services for People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities, Towards an Independent Future, 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, including speech and language therapy services, in their functional areas. This year a total of £3 million was allocated to the health boards for development of services, from which the Eastern Health Board was allocated £1.080 million.
The Eastern Health Board, in consultation with the local co-ordinating committee for physical and sensory disabilities, agreed priorities for development of services in 1998 including the provision of four additional speech and language therapy posts for the Eastern Health Board area.
