Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

—380 new respite and around 2,000 new day places for people with an intellectual disability and those with autism.

In the current year further additional funding of €13 million has been allocated to services for persons with an intellectual disability or autism to meet the full year cost of 2002 developments and further enhance health related support services. This brings total extra investment in these services to €340 million over seven years, of which over €200 million has been built into the ongoing budget base.

In particular, around €15 million has been invested in health related support services for children with autism or an intellectual disability nationally between 1998 and 2002. This includes diagnostic and assessment services, early intervention, which we recognise is extremely important, home support and outreach support to children of schoolgoing age.