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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 19 May 1999

Vol. 505 No. 1

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

John Gormley

Ceist:

162 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the discrepancies in funding for persons with a mental disability in the different health boards; the measures, if any, his Department envisages to counteract this imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13134/99]

I am assuming that the Deputy is referring to services to persons with an intellectual disability-mental handicap. While I am unclear as to the specific discrepancies referred to by the Deputy, I am aware that in addition to the need for the development of new services, there are also needs which must be met within existing services.

With reference to the new services which have been put in place in recent years, these have been developed in line with the priority needs which have been identified for the various health board regions. The full cost of those services has been provided to both statutory and voluntary service providers. The costs associated with the various elements of the services are dependent on many factors including level of disability, whether a full or part-time service is being provided and the type of care setting required. These factors are taken into account when the funding is being allocated by the health boards.

In relation to existing services, issues related to historic base funding arrangements, the ageing client profile and reduction in income from other sources are amongst the principal reasons which give rise to financial problems for health boards and voluntary agencies.

In recent years, my Department has been working with the health boards and voluntary agencies to address both the need for new services and identified needs within existing services. In the period between 1993 and 1999, additional revenue and capital funding amounted to £112.8 million, increasing to £118.8 million in 2000. It is my intention to continue to address these issues in the context of the resources allocated to my Department over the coming years.

John Gormley

Ceist:

163 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the differences in capitation to people with mental disability attending training schemes in the different health boards; the measures, if any, he intends to implement to ensure an equal level of capitation for those who are eligible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13135/99]

Currently two rates of annual capitation payments for persons with a disability are provided by my Department, through the health boards. A capitation payment, amounting to £1,284 is available to support training activities, and a capitation payment amounting to £1,167 supports non-training activities. These rates do not discriminate between the category of disability to which they are applied. If the Deputy has a particular case in mind he may wish to furnish me with the details and I will endeavour to have it investigated.

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