James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the funding allocation for 2009 in respect of the disability sector following the diverting of €17 million from this sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45816/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Almost €1 billion is provided each year to non-statutory providers of disability services. In line with the efficiency measures being taken elsewhere in the health system, an efficiency reduction of 1% will be applied by the HSE to the allocations of non-statutory disability agencies for 2009.

Under the Multi Annual Investment Programme additional funding of €75m was allocated in both 2006 and 2007. In the 2008 Budget, €50m was provided to the Health Service Executive (HSE) to fund a range of additional services under the Multi Annual Investment Programme for Disability. 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.

As the issue raised is a matter for the HSE it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans on behalf of an association for persons with an intellectual disability (details supplied) in County Longford, to ensure continued service to users of this facility in view of the cut in allocations paid to non-statutory service providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45817/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the final tranche of the multi-investment programme initiated in 2005, which amounts to €50 million, will be delivered to the disability sector in 2009, the final year of the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45818/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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An additional €20 million for health and education services for children with special educational needs was announced in Budget 2009. €10 million of this allocation will be to the Health Service Executive (HSE), and €10 million to the Department of Education and Science, to enable the services provided to children with special educational needs to be enhanced and strengthened, as a first step towards the full implementation of the EPSEN Act, and of Part 2 of the Disability Act for 5 to 18 year olds, at a later date.

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. An additional 90 posts will be provided in the disability services area, to include speech & language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists for children's disability services. There will be 35 additional posts for the child & adolescent mental health services, including clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, speech & language therapists and social workers for new and existing multi-disciplinary teams. As the specific issue raised by the Deputy is a service matter it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply.