25m ‘not enough for debt-ridden disability sector’

AN additional 25 million for the disability sector will not address core funding problems, forcing many voluntary organisations into further debt, disability groups have claimed.

Frank Flannery, chairman of the Not-For-Profit organisation, said they had again been let down in this year's Budget despite Government promises.

"There is a serious problem in services for people with sensory and physical disability. The organisations - and we represent the nine largest service providers in the sector, serving 40,000 people - are operating with core deficits.

"There is a tremendous need for additional professional staff in these services as shown in Department of Health commissioned studies. Yet it would appear no provision at all has been made to meet these needs despite Government promises that they would be met in 2004."

In the intellectual disability sector, the National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland (NAMHInamhi), representing 27,000 people, said the allocation would not make huge inroads in addressing waiting lists for residential and day care services, which currently stand at 2,300.

NAMHI general secretary Deirdre Carroll called for minimum targets to be set to clear waiting lists over the next five years and for capital and revenue funding on a roll over basis.

Health Minister Micheál Martin said the extra 25 million on top of 10 million allocated in the Estimates will be used to provide additional emergency residential placements and extra day services, especially for school leavers.

Failure by the Government to extend the medical card scheme to 200,000 extra people as promised two years ago came in for heavy criticism from Labour spokesperson on health Deputy Liz McManus and the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO). Ms McManus also said: "Minister McCreevy in his wisdom has decided that our overcrowded, understaffed and overstretched hospitals and health service is already adequately funded. It is obvious that he has not had to wait for hours on end, maybe even days on a trolley in some drafty hospital corridor," she said.

The IMO criticised the Government for failing to allocate funds to implement the National Health Strategy,; Primary Care Strategy and other health service reform recommendations, including Hanly.

Dr Joe Barry, president of the IMO, said the commitment to implement the health service reforms must be questioned when no ring-fenced funding had ever been allocated.

He was also disappointed that the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes will be increased by just 25 cent.

"Respiratory diseases cost the Irish health service 316.8 million in 2001. International research shows that price is a major factor in assisting smokers to quit and more especially encouraging young people not to start smoking. It is a lost opportunity."

Tax relief has also been announced for those who take out dental insurance, effective at the standard rate from January 1.