I am glad to have the opportunity to raise this important issue. Cerebral Palsy Ireland and the North-Eastern Health Board have identified more than 450 children from counties Cavan, Monaghan, Meath and Louth with physical, sensory and learning disabilities and developmental delays, who require a specialist assessment and treatment service in the region. Currently, many of these children are travelling to Dublin for specific rehabilitation services. The follow-up service for these children is limited in the north-eastern region. There are limited therapy services currently available in the region for children with disabilities. Specialised services, including assistive technology, seating and so on, are not available locally.
In addition to the lack of specialist services, there is a lack of clinical space, resources and equipment for services currently based in the region. The North-Eastern Health Board and CPI have been working together since the mid-1990s to prepare a plan which responds to these specific acute needs. This plan has been finalised and forwarded to the Department of Health and Children as a joint business plan from both the CPI and the North-Eastern Health Board. The proposal comprises two assessment centres to be located in the region, one in the grounds of Cavan General Hospital and the second adjacent to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. These two proposed centres will provide assessment services to children with physical and sensory disabilities aged up to 18 years throughout the region and children with learning disabilities up to six years. In addition, follow-up treatment services will be provided at these centres for children from counties Cavan and Louth. Locally based treatment centres will also be located in counties Meath and Monaghan to provide ongoing services for children from those counties.
Services provided through the CPI and the North-Eastern Health Board initiative will include full interdisciplinary team involvement with children and families, the provision of early intensive support services for children under five years and a wide range of family support services. The proposal has been identified as the number one priority in the region for children's services by the regional co-ordinating committee for physical and sensory disability services and funding has been secured which will allow for the commencement of services in Cavan and Meath from July 2000. This funding will total £311,500 in 2000, rising to £628,000 from 2001 onwards. The total capital costs of this proposal, which I am glad to support, is £2.25 million. Cerebral Palsy Ireland has committed a total of £800,000 towards these capital costs from their capital fundraising. The remaining £1.45 million is being sought from Government.
The North-Eastern Health Board and CPI are awaiting overall project approval from the Department of Health and Children and an indication of capital funding support prior to any element of the service commencing in Cavan and Meath in 2000. As the service is intended to be a regional response to the needs of the entire region, CPI and the North-Eastern Health Board need support for the project from the Department before any element can commence. This project plan was analysed by an independent consultant in 1999 who gave the proposal a positive response.
The proposed project represents an imaginative and innovative partnership approach from both the voluntary and statutory sector, that is the health board and CPI, to the specific needs of children with disabilities in the north-east region. The proposed services are in accordance with the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities and the review group on health and personal social services for people with physical and sensory disability which recommended the establishment of regional child assessment teams and the incorporation of specific services for children with sensory impairment.
It would be appropriate for the Minister to issue approval to the North-Eastern Health Board to proceed with the first of the new assessment centres in Cavan. I am glad the Government, particularly the Minister of State, Deputy Moffatt, and the Minister, Deputy Martin, are committed to the development of a wide range of services for people with a physical or mental handicap. I hope the Minister will respond positively to an innovative project supported by the North-Eastern Health Board and Cerebral Palsy Ireland.
