1,000 extra disability services staff to be recruited

ONE-THOUSAND extra disability services staff are to be recruited next year under a package of improvements that also includes increases in residential, respite and daycare places.

More significant announcements will follow on Budget Day, however, when, for the first time, details of future funding for 2006 to 2009 will also be made available.

The decision to introduce multi-annual investment programmes to enable disability groups plan ahead honours a commitment made by the Government when the Disability Bill was published last September. Yesterday’s Estimates earmarked €2.8 billion specifically for disability services across several departments, an increase of 11% on the 2004 figure compared to the 6% increase in overall government spending.