From information currently available within the various health board areas, it would appear that approximately 1,300 residential places are required to meet the needs of those awaiting services. What is not clear, however, from the information available to my Department is the proportion of those on waiting lists for residential care who require immediate placements and the level of care which they require, those who, with the provision of other services such as day care or home support services, may not immediately require residential placement and those who at some stage in the future will require residential care.