Vol. 554 No. 5
921 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make the necessary funds available to the Western Health Board to enable the Brothers of Charity to maintain the level of services they supply to people of intellectual and physical disabilities in the Western Health Board area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15480/02]
922 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the services provided by the Brothers of Charity, Galway, which was funded from the Western Health Board, are not adequately financed; and if he will make more funds available for these services to enable the Brothers of Charity to provide residential and homecare places for a number of people with intellectual and physical disabilities in the Western Health Board area. [15481/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 921 and 922 together.
Additional funding amounting to €635,000 was provided for the Brothers of Charity Services in the Western region over the last two years to specifically address identified needs in existing services.
Additional revenue funding amounting to €4.79 million was also provided to the Western Health Board in 2001 with a further €2.119 million in 2002, to provide a range of services including residential, respite and day services for persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism. Responsibility for the allocation of such funding is a matter, in the first instance, for the Western Health Board. My Department has, therefore, asked the chief executive officer of the Western Health Board to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.
