Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her views on implementing a database to contain the details of children diagnosed with intellectual, social or physical disabilities that will require special intervention, therapeutic, or educational care in order that service provision may be forward planned to meet their needs as they arise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6305/07]

Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy may be aware the National Intellectual Disability Database and the National Physical and Sensory Disability Database are in operation to ensure that information is available to enable my Department, the HSE and the non-statutory agencies throughout Ireland to provide appropriate services designed to meet the changing needs of people with disabilities.

The databases are intended to provide a comprehensive and accurate information base for decision making in relation to the planning, funding and management of services for people with disabilities and can help to set priorities based on an evaluation of the needs of the population receiving or requiring disability services.

Section 13 of the Disability Act, 2005 imposes significant requirements on the HSE to keep and maintain detailed records in relation to the provisions of Part 2. The information to be collected includes:

the numbers and identities of people to whom assessments and services were provided;

the services provided and the persons providing them;

the aggregate needs identified in assessment reports which have not been included in service statements;

the numbers of applications for assessment and the number of assessments completed;

the numbers of people to whom services have not been provided and the age and disability categories of such persons.

As outlined in the Sectoral Plan of my Department which was published in July 2006, Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 will commence for children aged less than 5 years with effect from 1st June 2007. From this date it will be the responsibility of the HSE to compile the above information and submit it to the Minister each year, indicating what additional services are required to meet identified needs, what the ideal timeframe for delivery of such services would be and the estimated costs involved. The report must be published by the HSE within one month of its submission to the Minister.