Michael Ring
Ceist:136 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide extra funding for personal assistants for persons with disabilities to allow disabled people to live a fuller life. [25721/01]
Written Answers. - Services for People with Disabilities.
The provision of health and personal social services, including personal assistance services, is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards in the first instance. Additional funding allocated to the health boards for the development of such services will be in the context of the total amount of funding allocated for the development of services in the physical and sensory disability sector. Other priorities for service developments in the sector will also be taken into consideration when allocating this funding.
Since coming into office in 1997, just over £107 million, 135.86 million, has been allocated by this Government for the maintenance and development of services for people with physical and sensory disabilities. This year I allocated an additional £12 million, 15.237 million, rising to £24 million, 30.474 million, in the year 2002, for the development of services to people with physical and sensory disabilities. I decided that of this, £5 million, 6.349 million, rising to £10 million, 12.697 million in the year 2002 will be targeted at home supports, including £2.5 million, 3.174 million, with a full year cost of £6 million, 7.618 million, for personal assistance services. This means that over 2001-02, funding is being provided for an additional 312 personal assistants to provide a service to approximately 230 clients. Including the £10.5 million, 13.332 million already invested in these services since 1997, a total of £20.5 million, 26.03 million, ongoing funding is being made available for the home support services, including personal assistance services. I wish to assure the Deputy that providing the relevant support services to enable people with physical and services to live as independently as possible will remain one of my priorities.