Vol. 508 No. 4
162 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to a request for funding for the Irish Deaf Society; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the request to the Eastern Health Board was turned down on the basis that it was not the appropriate channel through which funding should be made available; if his Department will support the society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19311/99]
Voluntary organisations providing services to people with physical and sensory disabilities are funded by the health boards by way of section 65 grants. Each health board, in consultation with its regional co-ordinating committee for physical and sensory disability services, decides on priorities for the development of services, including hearing impairment services, in its functional area. The Eastern Health Board supports a range of services for the hearing impaired such as family support, community information support services, communication service and technical aids.
The Irish Deaf Society's main policy area is the promotion, support and development of Irish sign language, ISL. This is essentially a social and cultural issue.
