In recent years, very significant additional resources has been provided by the Government for services and supports in the Disability area. The Multi-Annual Investment Programme, which is a key component of the Government's Disability Strategy, will by the end of 2008 have provided for 980 new residential places; 313 new respite places, and 2,505 new day places for the intellectual disability service, and 300 new residential places, and 950,000 extra home care/personal assistance hours; for people with physical and sensory disabilities.
Funding was also provided for the targeted transfer of persons with intellectual disability/autism from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements. Since 2006, over €550m has been allocated to the HSE under the Multi-Annual Investment Programme, of which €425 million was for disability services and €125 million for Mental Health.
In Budget 2009, an additional €10m was allocated to the HSE. This funding will provide for 125 additional therapy posts in the disability and mental health services, targeted at children of school-going age. These funds will be ring-fenced for this purpose in the HSE's letter of allocation, along the lines used for disability development funding in 2008. 90 of these additional 125 posts will be provided in the disability service area. In the light of the current financial circumstances, no additional MAIP funding has been allocated in 2009.