Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 7

Written Answers. - Mental Handicap Services.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

53 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will undertake that no financial cut-backs will be made to community services for the mentally handicapped and that the development of residential institutions will not adversely impact on community services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27067/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

To meet in an appropriate manner the spectrum of different needs within the population of persons with an intellectual disability, it is necessary to provide a broad range of services. This includes both community-based residential, respite, day and other support services, in addition to a similar range of services provided by the residential centres around the country. The emphasis has been and will continue to be on the development of community-based support services which enable individuals with an intellectual disability to remain for as long as possible within their local community. However, there is also a need to ensure that for those who have been assessed as requiring the supports which are available in residential centres or village type accommodation, the appropriate facilities are also available for them.

As the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced a major acceleration of the investment programme in the area of services to persons with an intellectual disability. The additional funding being provided in 2000 is designed to support the opening of additional services, including residential, respite and day services, with an annual cost of £35 million. Because of the timeframe involved in bringing all of the new services planned for 2000 on stream, the actual cost of these services in 2000 will be £28 million. This funding is in addition to the £10.7 million already allocated to the services in 2000 to meet the full year costs of the 1999 developments and identified needs in existing services. This brings the total additional revenue funding provided in 2000 for the services to £38.7 million, increasing to £45.7 million on 1 January 2001.

I am also making available £80 million capital over the next three years to accelerate the process of putting in place the necessary infrastructure to support these services. A total of £30 million will be made available in 2000, £40 million in 2001 and the balance of £10 million in 2002. In accordance with normal practice, a revenue allocation commensurate with the capital investment in the services will also be made over this period.