Vol. 487 No. 3
53 Ms McManus asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he has received a request for financial assistance to fund a bereavement counselling and support service for families who have lost relatives at sea; if so, if he will agree to this request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3877/98]
The Proposal for the Establishment of a Support Service for Bereaved Families caused by Fishing/Marine Tragedies was presented to my Department by Mrs. Carmel Currid in May 1997. Mrs. Currid tragically lost her husband, Timothy, in a fishing vessel tragedy and has proposed the establishment of such a service in the light of her own tragic experience. In this proposal, Mrs. Currid outlined a number of requirements in the setting-up stage of this service, among them financial requirements.
Officials of my Department have been of considerable assistance to Mrs. Currid in respect of an application to the European Commission for grant aid for her project. This proposal, however, was not selected for a financial contribution.
My colleague, the Minister for State at my Department, has recently written to the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs asking him to give consideration as to whether this organisation could be grant-aided through any of the Community grant schemes operated by that Department.
We fully support what Mrs. Currid is attempting to achieve and wish her well in her efforts. She can be assured of continued support in this matter. In that context, I have asked my Department to urgently assess how Mrs. Currid's organisation might be promoted by branches of my Department which are required, on occasion, to liaise with people who are bereaved as a result of accidents at sea.
