The number of people with intellectual disabilities in need of residential care is now at its highest level since records began almost a decade ago, according to official figures. Carl O'Brien reports.
Despite significant investment in disability services in recent years, waiting lists for a range of services remain long, mainly because people with mental handicaps are living longer, the report suggests.
However, disability groups have questioned whether money from recent funding increases is being spent efficiently by voluntary and State organisations given the lack of progress in cutting waiting lists.
The National Intellectual Disability Database Committee's annual report for 2003, compiled by the Health Research Board, warns that these needs are likely to increase as family carers grow too old to look after their disabled siblings at home.
"Many of this group continue to live at home with their families, and when their existing caring arrangements become unsustainable, demand grows for appropriate residential support services and full-time residential services," according to the report's authors, Mr Steve Barron and Ms Fiona Mulvaney.
Figures also show that 2,284 people with an intellectual disability, or 9 per cent of the total, are without any service or a major element of service.
Some 307 people were also identified as being inappropriately detained in settings, such as psychiatric hospitals.
However, there have also been significant improvements across a range of areas, the report notes.
Demand for day services, with a waiting list of 546 people, or 1 per cent of the intellectually disabled population, is at its lowest recorded level.
Between 2000 and 2002, for example, there was a 165 per cent increase in the supply of intensive placements aimed at meeting the needs of people with challenging behaviour and a 43 per cent growth in the number of intellectually disabled living in full-time residential placements.
While welcoming funding increases in recent times, Ms Annie Ryan, a campaigner for the intellectually disabled and author of Walls Of Silence, said the figures illustrated the need for a rights-based disability Bill.
"We need a Bill which will address people's needs if we're really going to tackle this. The priority doesn't exist at Government level," she said.
She also said that, given widespread support for the hosting of the Special Olympics in Ireland last year, the Government could no longer claim that there was not sufficient support to provide sufficient resources.
Ms Deirdre Carroll of the National Association of the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland (NAMHI) said she was disappointed that some waiting lists were not falling. Better criteria were needed to target those most in need, she said.
In a statement, the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Mr Tim O'Malley, said that while there had been record levels of investment in the sector, much more remained to be done.