Vol. 438 No. 4
138 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for the Environment the role of local authorities in the disbursement of national lottery funds; if local authorities had an input into the decision on national lottery funding to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
139 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for the Environment the purposes for which national lottery funds are now used; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 139 together.
In the case of my Department, the national lottery surplus is used to fund programmes for swimming pools, libraries and communal facilities in voluntary housing projects and was used in earlier years to fund the recreational/amenities grants scheme which has now terminated. In each of these cases, proposals for funding are/were made to my Department by or through the local authorities.
