Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 29 Jun 1995

Vol. 455 No. 3

Written Answers - Voluntary Bodies' Support Scheme.

Joe Walsh

Question:

34 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties currently being faced by certain voluntary bodies due to the manner of the transfer of certain areas of the administration of the voluntary bodies support scheme to his Department; and the reason these responsibilities were transferred before adequate arrangements for allocating funds were in place. [10627/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): Responsibility for the respite care grants scheme and the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations was transferred to my Department from the Department of Social Welfare this year. The decision to transfer these schemes was made following a review of funding for voluntary organisations by the Minister for Social Welfare and myself. Following this review it became clear that there was an overlap between my Department and the Department of Social Welfare in terms of funding of voluntary organisations involved in the health care services.

A total £1.54 million was transferred to my Department of which £0.258 million was already committed in respect of eight on-going projects for Barnados, Crosscare, Disability Federation of Ireland, Incare, Federation of Refuges for Abused Women and their Children, Parentline, Soroptimists, County Clare and Women's Aid. I fully honoured the approved funding for these voluntary organisations thus ensuring continuation of these projects after the transfer of funds.

In line with the National Health Strategy, it was decided to allocate all moneys through the health boards which would have the responsibility for administering these schemes on behalf of my Department. Health boards have been instructed to ensure that the spirit of the former social welfare schemes continues to be maintained by them and that the commitments made to voluntary organisations by Social Welfare be honoured. To this end each health board has been furnished with a list of the voluntary organisations funded under these schemes by the Department of Social Welfare in 1994.

Responsibility for the administration of the respite care grant scheme and the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations has been transferred to the health boards as an extension of the national lottery block grant scheme of £1.75 million for voluntary bodies already operated by the boards. Following the allocation of funding to the eight aforementioned projects, a total of £3.032 million was made available to the health boards for the voluntary sector on this basis.

The breakdown of funding to each health board area is as follows:

	£
Eastern	817,000
Midland	245,000
Mid-Western	320,000
North Eastern	320,000
North Western	245,000
South Eastern	355,000
Southern	400,000
Western	330,000

The process of transfer has been acted on speedily by my Department in consultation with the Department of Social Welfare and the health boards. Health boards have been directed to advise all local voluntary groups in their respective functional area of the new procedures for applying for funding under these schemes. My Department has also contacted the various umbrella bodies for people with disabilities concerning the new arrangements.

I am confident that the change will simplify procedures for voluntary organisations seeking funding and ensure more coherent planning in the delivery of services by voluntary organisations.