Vol. 515 No. 3
205 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the provision, if any, he has made for persons with disabilities who need full-time personal assistants in accordance with commitments in An Action Programme for the Millennium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6077/00]
The personal assistance service is part of a range of support services for people with physical and sensory disabilities designed to enable them to live in the community with the maximum possible degree of independence. My policy is to develop the range of services as a whole in accordance with the recommendations of the report of the review group on health and personal social services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, Towards an Independent Future.
To date this Government has provided a total of £66.985 million for the maintenance and development of services in the sector, including capital developments. This year £7 million development funding has been allocated for services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, rising to £14 million in the year 2001. This funding will be primarily targeted at the provision of additional day care places and home support services. To this end, I have targeted £3 million, rising to £6 million in the year 2001, for home support services, which includes personal assistance services.
