asked the Minister for Health if assistance will be given to a doctor (details supplied) in County Galway who is carrying out research into multiple sclerosis.
Written Answers. - Multiple Sclerosis Research.
731.
My Department do not directly fund individual researchers. In the case of clinical research my Department make an annual allocation to the Medical Research Council who in turn give grants to individual applicants whose proposed research projects meet certain criteria laid down by the council.
I understand that the doctor in question has applied to the Medical Research Council for assistance for this project but that his request has been turned down because the project does not meet the council's criteria. The council are prepared to discuss with the applicant the reasons why the original application was turned down and the possibility of his making a revised application to meet the council's requirements.