Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 334: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has satisfied herself regarding the adequacy of respite care for parents and carers of children and adults with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3257/06]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Government has invested significant resources in recent years in the development of additional respite facilities for people with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities and those with autism. This funding has meant that a range of respite services, including centre based and day respite, is being provided around the country. For example, the 2005 annual report from the national intellectual disability database indicates an increase of 359.7% in the number of individuals availing of centre based respite services either as a planned or emergency intervention, bringing the total number of availing of respite services in 2005 to 4,004.

As the Deputy is aware an integral part of the national disability strategy is the multiannual investment programme, published in December 2004 by the Government, which contains details of specific commitments in relation to the provision of specific high priority disability services over the period 2006 to 2009. These commitments include the development of new residential, respite and day places for persons with intellectual disability and autism in each of the years covered by the programme.

Additional funding amounting to €59 million is being provided in 2006 to meets costs associated with the various elements of this programme. This funding will be used to put in place 255 new residential places, 85 new respite places and 535 new day places for persons with intellectual disability and those with autism, and also to progress the programme to transfer persons with intellectual disability or autism from psychiatric hospitals and other inappropriate placements.

In addition to the specific high profile disability services which are included in the programme outlined, further additional funding amounting to €41 million is being provided to enhance the multidisciplinary support services for people with disabilities in line with the Government's commitment to build capacity within the health services in order to deliver on the various legislative provisions contained in the national disability strategy.

The management and delivery of health and personal social services in individual cases is a matter for the relevant HSE area.

Capital funding amounting to €55 million is also being provided in 2006 to support these developments.