The Government has taken a planned approach to building up capacity in the area of multi-disciplinary support services for both adults and children with disabilities. This includes, in addition to the provision of additional financial resources, various initiatives related to the training, recruitment and retention of key allied health professionals as follows: the expansion of the number of training places available for speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, nursing and other key professionals; national and overseas recruitment initiatives and enhancement of career opportunities.
The level of support available from these health-related support services to children with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities and autism has been incrementally increasing annually in recent years as a result of the additional funding which has been made available by the Government. As part of the national disability strategy, further additional funding amounting to €11.5 million in 2006 is being made available to the Health Service Executive in respect of the provision of health-related support services for adults and children with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities and autism, with a priority in 2006 on enhancing assessment and support services for children with disabilities. Additional funding amounting to €17.5 million is also being provided in 2006 to enhance the level and range of multi-disciplinary support services available to adults and children with mental illness.
This ongoing investment in multi-disciplinary support services for persons with disabilities, including those with mental illness, together with specific initiatives to be taken in the area of recruitment, will assist the process of building capacity within these services in a very significant manner.