Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Apr 1999

Vol. 503 No. 3

Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

341 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Health and Children the dispersion of the funding for aids and appliances; the amount each health board received; the decisions finalised in relation to the allocation of the funding to people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9721/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

Aids and appliances are provided under the generic community care, acute general hospital and other programmes operated by the health boards. Figures on the amounts allocated to people with disabilities under the various programmes are not readily available within my Department. Arising from a similar question by the Deputy on 23 March last, I am having inquiries made of the health boards in the matter and I will communicate further with her when the information is available.

Since taking office, this Government, has made almost £37 million available by way of additional funding to the physical and sensory disability sector. This includes special allocations, by way of Supplementary Estimate, for the provision of aids and appliances in the sector in 1997 and 1998 totalling £8.325 million. In addition, almost £1 million was provided to the sector for this purpose from the capital programme last year. The amount allocated to each health board from these sources is given in the following table. I have asked the health boards to provide details of the expenditure as soon as possible and I will communicate further with the Deputy in this regard.

This year, additional funding of £13.4 million has been allocated for the maintenance and development of services in the sector including capital supports. However, it is not possible to say at this stage what amount of this funding will be spent on aids and appliances.

Health Board	1997£4.325mSupplementaryEstimates	1998Capital Programme	1998£4.0m SupplementaryEstimate	Total
Eastern	£3.374m	£0.360m	£1.504m*	£5.238m
Midland	–	£0.062m	£0.234m	£0.296m
Mid-Western	£0.115m	£0.080m	£0.312m	£0.507m
North-Eastern	–	£0.093m	£0.351m	£0.444m
North-Western	£0.075m	£0.010m	£0.234m	£0.319m
South Eastern	£0.116m	£0.100m	£0.390m	£0.606m
Southern	£0.266m	£0.150m	£0.585m	£1.001m
Western	£0.379m	£0.100m	£0.390m	£0.869m
Total	£4.325m	£0.955m	£4.000m	£9.280m

Note: *Includes grant of £100,000 to the National Rehabilitation Hospital for aids and appliances.