Vol. 492 No. 1
125 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of funding provided for the Centre for Independent Living; if a particular amount is allocated for the transport taxi service it operates; if increased funding will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13351/98]
The funding of voluntary agencies such as the Centre for Independent Living, CIL, is a matter for the relevant health boards. The national head-quarters of CIL in Dublin receives an annual grant of £50,000 from the Eastern Health Board towards its core funding. In December 1997, I gave once-off revenue grants of £140,000 to CIL and £230,000 to the Independent Living Community Service, a joint Rehab-CIL organisation formed to support CIL centres throughout the country in their activities.
No particular amount was allocated for the transport taxi service as it is considered that responsibility for this type of accessible public transport does not lie with the health boards.
