Services for People with Disabilities.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 April 2008

Thursday, 17 April 2008

Ceisteanna (248)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Ceist:

240 Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a child (details supplied) in County Kildare, one of three autistic children enrolled in the same school at the same time, has yet to receive speech and language therapy; her views on whether it is acceptable that this child is failing to receive a service in view of their address; her further views on whether the creation of the Health Service Executive was intended to end such anomalies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14269/08]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy Jimmy Devins)

As part of the Multi-Annual Investment Programme 2006-2009 under the Disability Strategy, the Government provided the Health Service Executive with an additional €75m in both 2006 and 2007. This funding included monies to provide new and enhanced services for people with disabilities, to implement Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005, which came into effect on June 1st 2007 for the under 5s and also for the continuation of the implementation of the transfer of persons with intellectual disability from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements.

The Government is also honouring its promise in relation to the Multi-Annual Investment Programme for people with disabilities, with a further €50m investment which was announced in the 2008 Budget. The Deputy's specific question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.