Vol. 554 No. 5
1083 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are 345 people on a residential waiting list at St. Michael's House Ballymun, Dublin 11, and nine of these have parents that are terminally ill; and his proposals to improve the health and disability service. [16295/02]
Additional funding has been made available to the Eastern Regional Health Authority in the past two years to put in place more than 240 new residential places for persons with an intellectual disability and those with autism. I am aware of the difficulties being encountered in the eastern region, that a significant proportion of those awaiting placement in residential services in the region are associated with St. Michael's House services and the consequential need for continued investment in these services in the eastern region and in other health board areas.
I assure the Deputy that this Government is committed to fulfilling the commitment it gave to meeting the needs of this population group, as outlined in the programme for Government.
