Alan Shatter
Question:6 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the pre-budget submission made by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on its objectives. [28942/00]
Other Questions. - Budget Submissions.
My Department is in receipt of a submission from Enable Ireland requesting additional funding for the provision of its existing services. This request has been considered in the context of the funding made available in the Estimates for the coming year and the organisation will be contacted concerning its submission in the near future.
The record will show in regard to comments he made and questions he would not answer, that when the Minister is under pressure he turns out to be not Mr. Nice Guy but Mr. Nasty. Will he consider setting up a section in his Department to deal specifically with voluntary organisations such as Enable Ireland as many of them can deliver services in the community more cost effectively than State agencies in some instances?
There are sections that deal exclus ively with the disability sector. Within the Department there are three units, one deals very effectively with intellectual disability and has a good reputation among that community. Those working in the unit are held in very high esteem and a substantial investment both in this and the previous budget has been made in respect of this sector. Likewise there is a very good unit that deals with the physical and sensory disability community. It received substantial funds in the budget yesterday. That funding will be distributed to the health boards in the first instance and to national organisations. I met Enable Ireland and am aware of the very good work it does. We will continue our engagement with that organisation. A committee has been looking at the funding of national voluntary organisations and I expect it to report soon. It will lay out the framework for the future funding of the national headquarters of many of these organisations.
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