Vol. 495 No. 1
263 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Health and Children the response, if any, he has made to a representation regarding the ELAH project; and if his Department has investigated possible sources of funding that would enable participants to be kept for a further two years to complete their training. [19619/98]
Funding for counselling services in the Dublin area is the responsibility of the Eastern Health Board in the first instance. The ELAH project provides counselling services to people in the Dublin 8 area. This group has already been in contact with the Eastern Health Board's children and families programme regarding financial support for the project.
The Eastern Health Board has established a multi-disciplinary committee to set criteria, standards and service needs, which would inform decisions on funding for counselling services and the board has decided that no funding will be made available for counselling services until the committee has issued its recommendations. I understand that the recommendations of the committee will issue shortly, when this request can be considered further, in the light of these recommendations.
