asked the Minister for Health the amount of money allocated to organisations dealing with natural family planning matters for the past five years; the name of each recipient organisation; the amount he intends to allocate for 1985 and the organisations concerned; if he is aware that at least one organisation who operate a very effective natural family planning operation nationally have received no financial support from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Natural Family Planning.
3.
A number of voluntary organisations provide information and advisory services about methods of family planning which do not involve the use of contraceptives. My Department have provided financial assistance to a number of these organisations by way of grants which were paid to the organisations concerned through the medium of the Eastern Health Board.
The table which I propose to circulate, indicates the departmental grants which have been paid through the Eastern Health Board to the organisations specified in respect of the years 1980 to 1984 inclusive.
Following is the table:
Departmental grants paid to organisations providing family planning services which do not involve the use of contraceptives.
|
CMAC* |
NAOMI* |
IFPA* |
|
|
1980-1981 |
35,000 |
35,000 |
— |
|
1982 |
25,000 |
20,000 |
— |
|
1983 |
27,500 |
17,000 |
— |
|
1984 |
30,000 |
16,500 |
2,000 |
|
Total |
117,500 |
88,500 |
2,000 |
*Abbreviations: CMAC: Catholic Marriage Advisory Council.
NAOMI: National Association of the Ovulation Method in Ireland.
IFPA: Irish Family Planning Association.
In the absence of Deputy Bell perhaps I might ask the Minister if any organisations other than those dealing exclusively with so-called natural family planning methods are in receipt of grants of any kind?
Under the 1979 Act I am confined in terms of my departmental grant payments but I have paid money to the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council, the National Association of the Ovulation Method in Ireland and the Irish Family Planning Association. In so far as the IFPA are involved to a limited extent in what is known as natural family planning, and the provision of services, a grant for such services was paid in 1984 to that body. I have paid out a good deal of money in recent years to the other organisations I have mentioned.
Is the money which is paid, paid purely for the provision of services, or used or intended for use for research into the application of the particular method?
Both areas, that of research and of provisional services, are involved. I might make the point that in 1982 £25,000 was paid to CMAC, £27,500 in 1983 and £30,000 in 1984; and to NAOMI £20,000 in 1982, £17,000 in 1983 and £16,500 in 1984. That is in the context of moneys sought. The amount for the Irish Family Planning Association last year was £2,000. These are the moneys paid for research and services.
Did I understand the Minister to say that there had been a reduction in the allocation to these associations over the last two years?
Not in relation to the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council — £25,000 and £27,500. The NAOMI amounts were £20,000, £17,000 and £16,500. Contact is made with the organisations and we tend to fund deficits. In effect, the organisations seem relatively happy with the amount of money provided.