Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if funding will be provided to extend hours at a centre (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8376/07]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The development of Services for Older People is a priority for the Government. This is reflected in the funding committed to services for older people in Budgets 2006 and 2007. Last year, the Government funded the largest ever expansion in services for older people with a full year cost of €150m. This year a full year package of €255m has been allocated for services for older people. This gives a total of over €400m added to services for older people over two years.

Government policy in relation to older people is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible and, where this is not possible, to support access to quality long-term residential care. This policy approach is renewed and developed in the latest partnership agreement, Towards 2016.

Among the areas where funding has been provided are day care and respite care which are an integral part of delivering a comprehensive community service for older people. Day care and respite care offer respite for family members and/or carers and provide social stimulation in a safe environment for older people with mild forms of dementia. The provision of an additional €9 million in 2006 allowed for 1,325 additional places per week in these centres together with additional programmes for specific needs such as activity therapy. It also means that many day care centres can increase the number of days per week they open. Additional funding of €3.5 million provided in Budget 2007 will cater for a further 1,100 day places per week in day care centres.

Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular case raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.