At the outset I should like to congratulate the Taoiseach on his very fine and comprehensive speech at the opening of this Adjournment Debate this morning. It was a very informative and well balanced speech which truly stated the situation in the country at the present time. I was particularly glad to note that here again, the Taoiseach once more underlined the fact as I fully recognise, that the Government are totally committed to the needy sectors of our community notwithstanding present difficult economic circumstances. This is why the Government during the year have given the highest priority, despite economic difficulties, to maintaining and advancing our social provision for the needy and disadvantaged. This is in contrast to policies which are being operated elsewhere at a time when many Governments tend to panic.
This year we brought about a real increase in social welfare benefits and we have undertaken in the second national understanding to continue to increase these benefits at least in line with the cost of living. The Taoiseach reiterated this promise on the part of the Government again today. Deputy O'Toole said that at this stage there is need for some imaginative and bold initiative. That is one of the weaknesses of the thinking and writing of many people in current circumstances: they want to see some magic wand, or some Santa Claus something that will save us from our difficulties and change trends overnight when in fact they would be far wiser to recognise that there is no such magic wand or Santa Claus in our present circumstances but that what is required is painstaking, well-balanced management of the economy and that this is what the Government under the leadership of the Taoiseach, Deputy Haughey, are giving the country. It is principally to be seen in the day to day management of the economy in the extremely difficult circumstances prevailing nationally and internationally.
I should also like to congratulate the Taoiseach on his recent historic meeting with Mrs. Thatcher on December 8. In contrast to what has been said by many Opposition Deputies I believe that it was a historic occasion. It raised to a new plane the discussions between Dublin and London on Northern affairs. It was one of the most impressive assemblies of Irish and British Ministers probably since the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement was negotiated in London in the mid-sixties and certainly the most elaborate meeting on Irish soil. In this sense it was a particularly significant advance from our point of view. If Deputy O'Toole looks for some imaginative steps I certainly think this was a very bold and imaginative step on the part of the Taoiseach.
But it is in the handling of the economy at present that I think management is of the greatest importance. As Minister for Health and Social Welfare I have to face daily, weekly and monthly the difficulties presented by present economic circumstances. It is in this context that I appreciate particularly the skilful management of our public finances which has been undertaken in the current year. I heard several Opposition speakers call for cuts in our spending on social services and health and at the same time or on another occasion call for increases in a variety of services. This kind of panic and fear on one hand and overreaction on the other has been characteristic of coalition governments as we know them. We are fortunate at this time to have a very steady hand in control of all our affairs.
The Opposition spokesman on Health, Deputy Boland, said that it was a bad year for the health services and for the Minister for Health and that very little was achieved during the year. The facts do not bear this out. The general hospital development programme gathered pace. This is a major reorganisation of our hospital services. Work on the new St. James's Hospital has commenced. The first stage of the development has begun. The Beaumont Hospital has advanced towards its target of completion in 1982. The new hospital in Tralee will be completed relatively early next year. The major new hostel extension at Letterkenny is also close to completion. So, in quite a number of areas we have major changes in the provision of hospital services, a major up-grading and development of these services. These developments are rightly demanded by the people. It means the provision of a very much higher level of specialist and consultant service for the population, which can only be to the benefit of our health as a nation. This is showing already in our general standard of health as a community.
A variety of new facilities for the mentally handicapped and physically ill were commissioned during the year. These include hospitals, day care centres and workshops. A total of 79 projects were advanced during the year, some brought to completion and others advanced to stages nearing completion. Perhaps the most significant step in the provision of accommodation for the mentally handicapped was the commencement of work on the Cheeverstown complex in Dublin, a very interesting and novel complex, really a village for the mentally handicapped
At the very beginning of the year when I assumed responsibility in the Department of Health I established a special division with an assistant secretary responsible for it to strengthen the community based services for the aged and the disabled. We are at present reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the home help and meals on wheels services, which are a vital part of the service for the elderly, and other services will be reviewed in the future. The whole Department was given a new orientation, one with particular emphasis on community and voluntary work. This special division within the Department will be responsible for services for the family and child. In this connection the report of the task force on child care services has been completed and the Government have approved its publication. It is only a matter of printing the report. Work on preparing a Children's Bill is in hands. As Deputies know, the task force have been working on their report since 1974.
In consultation with the various interests involved I am taking steps to reorganise the National Social Services Council. This will involve the establishment of a national council for the aged and we expect to announce this shortly. It will advise on all aspects of the well-being of the aged.
During the year we made an announcement regarding the common contract for consultants. This will be implemented from 1 April 1981 in the case of health boards and such hospital authorities that have agreed to accept it. The time span will allow for making the necessary transitional administrative arrangements and for continuing discussions with those parties who have not yet signified their acceptance of the new provisions, with a view to giving such clarifications and undertakings as may be necessary. Discussions on the common contract have been going on since 1977.
I have established a national committee and an advisory body to plan and co-ordinate activities in support of the objectives of the International Year for Disabled Persons, 1981. I am glad to say that today they published their first report. I understand we are the first country to have a report ready before the commencement of the year. I should like to congratulate the national committee on the matter. Copies of the report will be available to Deputies. In addition to the report a substantial calendar has been issued. Despite the concern expressed in this House earlier in the year, this committee have got under way and are dealing efficiently with the job they were given. Both the national committee and the advisory body are working together quite happily.
During the year I was presented with the report of the working party dealing with the question of general nursing. It is a major report and in the long-term it will have a significant effect on the standard of nursing training and the profession itself. The Health (Mental Services) Bill, 1980, has been introduced and has gone through its Second Stage in the Dáil. We look forward to Committee Stage which will allow us to consider and discuss the various proposals made. We hope to introduce Committee Stage early in the next session.
The National Rehabilitation Board have been reconstituted along the lines recommended by the management consultants, with some ideas that I added. The reconstituted board are progressing very well and this has given a major uplift to the rehabilitation board.
We had a difficult year because of the need to make economies where possible in the very expensive health services. I am sure the health agencies were allocated sufficient money to allow existing agencies to continue without any disruption. In this connection I had a series of meetings with the chairmen and chief executives of the health boards and I should like to thank them for their co-operation in dealing with the difficult circumstances we faced during the year. The nurses dispute was settled under the normal procedures available and a new structure has emerged from that settlement. I hope that, following the use of the machinery that was available to the general and psychiatric nurses, we will be able to go ahead with the work we want to do without the worry of dealing with salary scales that needed updating, as was seen from the report of the arbitrator. On 1 November we introduced the family planning regulations which gave effect to the Family Planning Act. Despite many protestations about the Act, it is extraordinary how many people are making use of the legislation. A considerable number have applied for import licences. Despite the concern expressed by a very vocal minority, in general the system seems to be able to handle the Act a lot better than one would imagine from reading reports in the media. I appreciate that there are those who are anxious to see the Act fail. They have expressed that view to me and much of the protestation and noise comes from that quarter. I can only report to Deputies that since the legislation was passed there is an increasing use of the facilities provided.
Deputy Boland said we did little for the health services. It is interesting to note the expenditure on those services in 1976, the last full year the National Coalition were in Government. For instance, on community protection, expenditure in 1976 was £6.1 million while in 1980 it was £14.1 million. On community health services the sum spent in 1976 was £50 million but in 1980 it was £84.5 million. In respect of community welfare services in 1976 expenditure was £16.5 million while now it is £45 million. The psychiatric programme cost £39 million in 1976 while it was £98 million in 1980. The programme for the handicapped cost £22.2 million in 1976 while the figure was £65 million in 1980. The general hospitals programme was £154 million in 1976 but it was £398.3 million in 1980. The general support services programme cost £22 million in 1976 while it was £33 million in 1980. In respect of all non-capital programmes, the cost was £300 million in 1976 while it was £738 million in 1980.
Having regard to these figures it is difficult to see how people can be so critical of the efforts made to improve our health services. A great deal has been said about the mentally handicapped. I would point out that projects now being undertaken or in the process of planning will provide 1,500 additional residential places and more that 800 day places mainly for mentally handicapped adults. I mention these figures to make it quite clear that, notwithstanding the protests made about the need for further spending in these areas, the spending is considerable and is increasing. There is a commitment to spending in each of these areas, which commitment will continue.
I appreciate that people want many services and many of these are indeed very desirable. Nevertheless, we can only progress proportionately with available resources. We are fortunate in present circumstances in the resources currently allocated to these services. Needless to say I am keen to get as much as possible in any circumstances that may arise in future. Under the social welfare section we brought up to date the report of the Department covering the years 1976 to 1978. Very detailed information about the services is provided by the Department, and I hope to keep these reports more up to date in future.
In this year's budget, in line with Government policy, there were quite substantial increases, 25 per cent for long-term benefits and 20 per cent for short-term benefits. These were the highest allocation ever made to the social services in any budget. This has been recognised by the organisations representing widows and old age pensioners in particular. We have carried out a variety of other welcome measures in the budget. In 1976, £46.3 million was allocated to children's allowances and in 1980, £74.5 million.
One measure undertaken during the year related to the transfer of land. We modified the way in which land transfers were treated for old age and non-contributory pensioners. This has turned out to be a very successful administrative measure and has been very widely welcomed.
We have also had the national free fuel scheme which was debated recently in the House. Today, we have had the completion of Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Consolidation Bill, and in this connection I wish to thank the Members of this House and of the Seanad for their co-operation in bringing this very large Bill through the consolidation phase. It was a very onerous undertaking which involved five very lengthy meetings and a great deal of detailed consideration and discussion. I want to place on record my appreciation of the work put into this by the Chairman, Deputy O'Keeffe, and the other members of the committee. We have now moved an order to have this Bill printed, which means that it will be available to the House for Report Stage at the commencement of the next session. This should mean that it should be passed before the budgetary measures become law, so as to avoid having the measures overtaken. All Members of the House will be very pleased with this.
The Taoiseach, in his speech, made reference to the undertaking in the national understanding to provide for improvements in maternity leave. We have also undertaken to widen the scope of our social services by introducing paid maternity leave and increasing the statutory health eligibility limit to £8,500 from 1 June next. Concerning maternity leave, the Minister for Labour will be introducing legislation to grant women the statutory right to maternity leave.
As Minister for Social Welfare, I am preparing a scheme which will provide that a working woman on approved maternity leave will receive an overall weekly amount, including the value of any tax refund, which will correspond to her average net earnings. This will be a very major social step ahead and is one which has been promised under the national understanding. The scheme has already been prepared and we would hope to be able to bring it into operation early in the next session.