Written answers

Tuesday, 14 October 2008

Department of Health and Children

Services for People with Disabilities

12:00 pm

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 61: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is responsible for setting the annual budget for services to children with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34513/08]

Photo of John MoloneyJohn Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Services for children with special needs are provided by a number of different Government Departments and agencies. The overall budget for each Department/Agency is determined by Government following discussions between the relevant Minister and the Minister for Finance as part of the estimates process. The budget for children with special needs would form part of these discussions in each case.

Section 5 of the Disability Act, 2005 deals with the provision of resources for services provided for people with a disability. Subsection 2 provides that where a Minister proposes or arranges for the provision of such services, the Minister shall allocate out of the moneys available to him or her for the year such amount as he or she considers appropriate for the provision of those services. Subsection 4 provides that, in determining the appropriate allocation, the Minister shall ensure that the amount remaining after the allocation is not less than the amount that is appropriate, having regard, inter alia, to the extent of the Minister's other obligations in that year.

The Office for Disability & Mental Health supports the Minister of State for Equality, Disability & Mental Health in the exercise of his functions across four Government Departments — Health & Children; Education & Science; Justice, Equality & Law Reform and Enterprise, Trade & Employment. Substantial progress has been made in recent years in the areas of disability and mental health, but much remains to be done. In particular, there is a need to improve co-ordination and communication across different Government Departments and agencies in their delivery of services. This will be the main focus for the Office in the coming months.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.