Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on the commitment to a multi-annual investment programme under the national disability strategy; and if €50 million will be provided in 2009 for this strategy. [40438/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Multi Annual Investment Programme additional funding of €75m was allocated in both 2006 and 2007 and €50m was allocated in 2008 to the Health Service Executive (HSE) to fund a range of additional disability services. Although the commencement of the planned developments in disability services this year had been delayed due to a financial review, I am pleased to inform you that the Executive has informed the Department of Health and Children that it is now in the process of rolling out the planned developments. The HSE has indicated that due to the delayed start to some of these developments, it expects to spend €33m of the €50m by the end of 2008. The resulting €17m time related savings were included in this Department's budgetary consolidation measures announced to the House in July 2008.

Due to the current economic climate it is not possible to provide an additional €50m in 2009 for the Multi Annual Investment Programme. However the Government has emphasised its commitment to people with disabilities by allocating an additional €20m in Budget 2009 for health and education services for children with special educational needs. €10m of this allocation will be to the Health Service Executive (HSE), and €10m to the Department of Education and Science, to enable the services provided to children with special educational needs to be enhanced and strengthened. The additional €10m allocated to the HSE will provide for 125 additional therapy posts in the disability and mental health services, targeted at children of school-going age.