Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

——for children in the Meath local health office. Two new residential places and two new day places have been allocated to St. Michael's House in 2008 from the Dublin mid-Leinster region.

As the Deputy is aware, an additional €50 million was allocated by the Government for the provision of disability services in the 2008 budget. The 2008 service plan, developed by the HSE and approved by the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, included the €50 million for the development of additional disability services. The standard expenditure sanction issued to the HSE for 2008 stipulated that the prior approval of the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Finance would be required in the event of any proposal to spend this money for any other purpose.

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