February 03 2010

Dáil Debates

• Order of Business: Lack of standards

Parliamentary Questions

• Amount allocated and expended each year under the multi-annual investment programme
• Housing Grants in Mayo

DÁIL DEBATES

• Order of Business: Lack of standards

Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF): Yes, it is leading exactly to that. There are still some 300 people with intellectual disability inappropriately placed in psychiatric facilities across this State. What action is the Taoiseach considering against all of these very serious matters? Will he expedite the taking of the licensing of health facilities Bill, which is promised to address the issue of a mandatory system of licensing for all public and private health facilities? Against the information that I have again reflected here this morning and shared with the House, will the Taoiseach take the necessary steps to intervene with the Department of Health and Children, to address this outrageous neglect and expedite the legislation I have called for?

The Taoiseach: I have every confidence in the commitment and competence of my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy John Moloney, who has responsibility in this area. He has displayed a very clear commitment and has engaged very intensively with all stakeholders in the area of mental health. I support him and have been supporting him in every way I can to deal with the question of the historical problem of inappropriate placement. A number of initiatives have taken place which have resulted in modern facilities being provided to assist those who have been inappropriately placed historically and this should continue. The Minister of State has obtained the agreement of the Minister for Finance and the Government in the Estimates rounds for a capital programme that will enable this to happen, by way of the selling-off of existing assets in the health service area. He is very committed in this area and I have every confidence in him to deal with these matters.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Amount allocated and expended each year under the multi-annual investment programme

Deputy David Stanton (FG): asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 13 May 2009, the amount allocated and expended each year over the period 2006 to 2009 under the multi-annual investment programme for disability services as reported to his Department by the other relevant Departments including the Department of Health and Children and the Health Service Executive;  further to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 13 May 2009, the amount allocated and expended under the multi-annual investment programme 2006 and 2009 for disability services; if this reached the projected total €900 million;

Minister for Finance (Deputy Brian Lenihan): As the Deputy will be aware from my reply to his previous question, development and implementation of the Multi-Annual Investment Programme for Disability 2006-2009 to support the development of high priority disability support services in each sector is a matter for the relevant departments and agencies. The amount allocated and expended each year over the period 2006 to 2009 under the Multiannual Investment Programme (MAIP) for high priority disability support services as reported to me by the relevant departments is as follows:

The Office of Public Works has indicated that projects containing a disability support element far exceeded its allocation under the Multi-Annual Investment Programme but the disability element of the projects is not always separately identified. Direct expenditure by OPW on universal accessibility in 2009 was €1.85m. On the basis of the information provided to my Department I am not in a position to comment generally on whether the cumulative expenditure in the base reached the projected levels in the multi-annual investment programme in Budget 2005. I would refer the Deputy to the relevant Ministers if he wishes to pursue this aspect further. 

• Housing Grants in Mayo

Deputy John O’Mahony (FG): asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and LocalGovernment when funding will be available to Mayo County Council under the mobility grant scheme; when funding will be available to Mayo County Council under the housing adaptation scheme; when funding will be available to Mayo County Council under the housing aid for older people scheme;

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy Michael Finneran): The annual allocations to local authorities under the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability are calculated on foot of detailed discussion between my Department and the local authorities and on the basis of the projected level of demand for grants, taking account of the level of applications on hand that have been assessed as eligible, applications yet to be assessed and projections for new applications to be received during the year. My Department requested local authorities to submit details of their funding requirements under the grant schemes for 2010 by 22 January. The information received is being examined at present with a view to determining the allocations as quickly as possible.

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