asked the Minister for Health the criteria used by his Department before deciding to endorse the application by voluntary bodies working in the health area for funds under the national lottery.
Written Answers. - National Lottery Beneficiaries.
154.
As the Deputy is aware it was decided at Government last November that the funds allocated from the national lottery proceeds for projects in the health area should apply broadly to the following areas; services for the physically and mentally handicapped, services for the elderly, psychiatric services, community information and development services, AIDS prevention and child services.
Within these headings I have received a very considerable number of applications for funding. Each application is examined in full by officials of my Department and my decision is based on the relative merits of the projects involved. Regrettably as the applications for funding far outweigh the limited funds available I am not in a position to accede to all the requests I receive. In deciding on relative priorities I take fully into account the views of the Department, the health board, the voluntary agencies concerned, together with the priority needs of the health services and the community.