Vol. 553 No. 2
532 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the situation in relation to long-term illness cards for persons with cerebral palsy; if the scheme can be extended to cover physiotherapy which is the main requirement of cerebral palsy sufferers; the services available to adults with this medical condition; if the facilities are below the European norm; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13261/02]
I wish to inform the Deputy that cerebral palsy is one of the illnesses covered by the long-term illness scheme. Under the terms of this scheme, persons with an long-term illness card are entitled to receive drugs and medicines for their specified illness free of charge.
The provision of health related services, including therapy services for persons with cerebral palsy is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards in the first instance. Since 1997, the Government has provided additional ongoing development funding of almost €11 million for therapy services, including physiotherapy.
In response to my concern regarding current labour shortages affecting the therapy professions nationwide my Department commissioned a report from Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for certain professional therapists including occupational therapists. The study was published in July 2001 and concluded that a major expansion is essential in the numbers of each of the therapy grades, requiring a significant increase in training places.
Following the recommendations of this report, I announced in conjunction with the Minister for Education and Science, on 29 May last, the provision of 175 extra professional therapy training places, including 25 physiotherapy places, for students to tackle the acute shortage of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists in the health service. This almost doubles the number of therapy places available at present. The first intake to the extra places is expected to commence in the 2002-03 academic year.
