Vol. 433 No. 5
13 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the way in which he intends to ensure that women's organisations can contribute as fully as possible to the needs of women in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Women's organisations are independent entities and it is primarily their task to ensure through their membership, management and control functions that their activities contribute as fully as possible to the needs of women in Ireland.
In the present year my Department will make available a grant of £114,000 to the Council for the Status of Women, a national representative body covering over 90 affiliated women's organisations. I would hope to work closely with women's groups on matters of common concern.
Does the Minister accept that many of the organisations on the front line which are helping women with particular difficulties — be it the need for refuge in a shelter provided by Women's Aid for example, or a need for advice provided by groups such as AIM — are experiencing enormous financial difficulties because of the lack of resources? Will the Minister try to ensure that much of the money given out from the national lottery by other Departments is channelled through his Department so that the women's groups which are providing the most effective help and working in the areas to which greatest priority is given have a better chance, even if they represent minority interests of getting a bigger slice of resources because it is often felt that because they represent minority interests, essential and all as they are, they do not have the same clout when it comes to securing aid from certain Government Departments?
I agree with the Deputy that there is a large number of women's organisations which do remarkable and invaluable work in various areas, particularly those affecting families. They have been doing this for many years on a voluntary basis. Indeed, I do not know where we would be without them. Those who represent minority interests, and indeed those who do not, are worthy of the maximum possible support. Many receive grants from Government Departments which have been organised during the years on an ad hoc basis. I cannot say at this time whether arrangements will be made in future years to channel these funds through my Department, but I am sure the Ministers concerned will endeavour to provide the maximum possible help for many of these organisations consistent with budgetary positions from time to time.
On the question of funding for women's organisations, would the Minister consider reviewing the way in which health boards provide funding for such organisations at present? Very often funding is provided only when there is a crisis. I am sure the Minister is aware that even where a health board has agreed to allocate funding — for example, to a refuge — very often the organisation concerned has a difficulty in extracting the money from the health board and there can be a delay of many months. If organisations have to wait for money to come through the system they can run into immense problems. Second, in considering the question of funding for women's organisations would the Minister take into account the point that women's organisations which work in areas of deprivation should receive special attention because very often they have to combat a double inequality, the first of which is economic and the other gender?
Brevity, please.
One should not forget that many women's lives have been transformed in areas of deprivation where there is a local resource group or a women's organisation. I am sure that the Minister will respond in the affirmative, but will he acknowledge the fact that this work is particularly important in considering the question of funding for women's organisations?
I do acknowledge it and, as I have said, I am well aware that many women's organisations have done and continue to do remarkable work all around the country, in many cases for little reward or recognition. As I have said, funding has been provided on an ad hoc basis. The Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and in some cases the Department of Education have been involved. I suppose a case could be made for rationalisation, but I do not have the resources to fund a wide ranging scheme at present. It would be desirable to have some organisation to deal with the matter on a more co-ordinated basis. So far as the particular case to which Deputy McManus referred is concerned, I cannot say that I will investigate it, but if the Deputy sends me the details of the case she has in mind I will be happy to refer it to my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Howlin, who liaises with the health boards.
