asked the Minister for Health if he will give financial assistance for the establishment of local information centres; if he is aware that a voluntary centre of this kind in Ballyfermot, Dublin must surrender its premises shortly; and if, in view of the community work it is doing, he will consider making a special grant available to help it to relocate its centre.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Information Centres.
34.
There are no funds available to me at present from which I could make grants of this nature, but as I have indicated publicly, I am examining the problem.
Health boards provide information services at their local offices throughout the country; and they may, and do, subsidise the provision of such services by voluntary agencies.
In the particular case of Ballyfermot, the Eastern Health Board have a health centre in the area staffed by administrative personnel, by one social worker employed directly by the board, by a second social worker employed by a voluntary agency subsidised by the board, and by two home assistance officers. In addition, the area is served by a psychiatric social worker employed by the board.
In these circumstances, the board do not consider that, so far as the health services are concerned, the payment of a subsidy to a voluntary information centre would be justified.