Vol. 559 No. 5
289 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he gave a commitment to provide funding towards the purchase of a bus to service the McAuley Day Care Centre, Midleton, County Cork; if so, the date the commitment was given; the amount involved; if the money has been allocated; if not, when he expects to allocate it; the outstanding issues involved in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26608/02]
Responsibility for the provision of services in County Cork rests with the Southern Health Board. No commitment was given by my Department to provide funding towards the purchase of a bus to service the day care centre. I am informed by the board that Midleton and District Day Care Centre Company Limited applied for a grant from the national lottery discretionary funds towards the purchase of a bus. This application was recommended by the board.
Applications for national lottery grants far exceed funding available to my Department from the its discretionary funds. As the funds available for 2002 have been disbursed it is not possible, unfortunately, to assist in this particular case. Midleton and District Day Care Centre may wish to reapply for a grant from the 2003 national lottery allocation. This project will be given active consideration in early January 2003.
