Vol. 510 No. 5
47 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health and Children the identification of required services over the next five years for people with a mental handicap; the numbers awaiting appropriate service or placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22835/99]
Statistical information on the number of people with an intellectual disability in Ireland is provided by the national intellectual disability database. The first report of the database was published in 1996 at which time the total number of people on the database was 26,664.
The preliminary 1998 data has identified an increase of 1,346 persons, from 26,664 in 1996 to 28,010 in 1998, in the overall number of persons on the database. The data also indicates an increase in the numbers of persons who have been identified as requiring residential and-or day services. A total of 2,530 persons will require a major element of service over the next five years. This represents an increase of 171 persons over similar data in 1996.
The number of additional places required over the period in question, that is, 1999 to 2003, to meet these needs are 1,673 residential places and 952 day places. When the additional placements coming on stream in 1999 have been taken into account, there is a balance of approximately 1,353 residential and 752 day places to be provided.
Additional revenue funding of £12 million in 1999, with a full year cost of £18 million in 2000, was provided for these services. This funding is in addition to the £6 million already allocated to the services in 1999 to meet identified needs in existing services. This brings the total additional funding provided for the services in 1999 to £18 million, with a full year cost of £24 million in 2000. Evidence of both my commitment and that of the Government to the ongoing development of services for persons with an intellectual disability is clearly demonstrated by the level of additional funding, £53 million up to the end of 1999, increasing to £59 million in 2000, which has been made available to these services since my appointment as Minister for Health and Children.
While this funding has made a significant impact, the accelerated provision of further additional resources for these services remains one of my priorities. I am currently pursuing the provision of this funding in the context of the Estimates process for 2000 and the national development plan. I am confident that the Government's budgetary measures for the coming year will have due regard to the levels of need which have been identified.
