asked the Minister for the Environment the reason a grant of £138,000 promised by his Department to the National Multiple Sclerosis Care Centre at Bushy Park Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6 has not been paid; when the grant will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Care Centre Grant.
24.
The MS Care Foundation sought a grant under my Department's voluntary housing scheme for accommodation for multiple sclerosis sufferers and their families being provided at 65 Bushy Park Road, Dublin 6. The purpose of the voluntary housing scheme is to assist with the provision of self-contained housing accommodation for renting to certain elderly and other categories of persons.
The Bushy Park project is, however, intended for occupation on a short term basis by MS sufferers and their carers who would return to their normal place of residence after their stay. Accommodation of this type does not come within the scope of my Department's scheme. In addition, the accommodation does not comply with the technical requirements of the scheme as the individual units provided are not self contained.
The nature of this project is such that it is related to the medical and community care functions of the Department of Health rather than to the housing activities of my Department. I now understand that, following negotiations with the Minister for Health, the grant of £138,000 will be paid to the foundation by that Department.