Vol. 387 No. 8
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Health the money from the national lottery which has been allocated by his Department to the National Social Service Board in (i) 1988 and (ii) 1989; the conditions which apply to the allocation of this money; if he has satisfied himself that the money is being distributed by the National Social Service Board in a manner which will provide a service to all parts of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
59.
(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that despite a commitment made by him to allocate £1 million of national lottery funds to the National Social Service Board, the grant from the board to its centre in Limerick has not yet been increased from the 1988 level of £450; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 59 together.
As I indicated at the time, I allocated £1 million of the 1987-1988 health allocation of national lottery proceeds for the enhancement, within a broader framework, of community information and community development services. My intention, as announced publicly, was that the services would be operated within a broader framework than those previously provided under the aegis of the National Social Service Board.
Of this £1 million the National Social Service Board received £518,700. The National Council for the Aged received £117,400 and the balance was allocated to voluntary groups and organisations providing a range of services for example, marriage counselling services, rape crisis centres, community resource centres, etc. The National Social Service Board has submitted a programme of work for 1989 and this is being examined in my Department. When this examination has been completed a final allocation of lottery proceeds for 1989 will be decided upon.
The allocation of grants to individual community information centres is a matter for the National Social Service Board.
