Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 11 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 1

Written Answers. - Health Research Funding.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

128 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to include science and medical research in the list of acceptable expenditure items for the national lottery beneficiaries fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13192/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The Deputy may be aware that the Health Research Board – HRB – is the statutory body with responsibility for health research in Ireland. Its functions are to promote, assist, commission or conduct medical, health, and health services research and such epidemiological research as may appropriately be carried out at national level, to assist and support other health agencies in promoting or conducting epidemiological research and to liaise and co-operate with other research bodies in Ireland or elsewhere in promoting, commissioning or conducting relevant research. The provision of funding for science and health research is, in the first instance, a matter for the HRB.

This Government has made a significant commitment to the Health Research Board and this is shown by the significant increase in funding since 1997. As part of my commitment to ensuring that the HRB is properly resourced, I provided additional funding of £2 million which will increase its allocation this year to £9.503 million. This is approximately 2.5 times the 1997 original budget of £3.835 million and demonstrates the importance this Government attaches to the role of health research in achieving health and social gain.

Following a wide ranging consultation process and a recently held successful conference with interested parties the HRB is currently in the process of finalising the national strategy for health research. The issue of specific national lottery funding has been raised in submissions made in relation to this strategy and will be considered in the light of the overall strategy. It is expected that a definitive strategy for health research will be completed by July 2000.

In relation to the provision of funding from my Department's allocation of national lottery funds generally, applications are received primarily from individuals, groups and agencies involved in the provision of health services to specific client groups. Each application is then considered in the context of the recommendation from the relevant service division and the overall level of funds available. As the Deputy may be aware the number of applications received in any one year far exceed the available resources.