Vol. 570 No. 4
359 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the total amount of funding allocated by his Department for the provision of payments, facilities or services for those with physical or intellectual disabilities in 2003, giving the heading or subheading in the Estimates under which the allocation has been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19527/03]
The Deputy will be aware that the schemes and programmes administered by my Department are broadly targeted at supporting the development of communities, both urban and rural throughout the country. While these programmes are not, therefore, specifically concerned with the matters referred to by the Deputy, I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the amounts listed below have been allocated in 2003 to the purposes described.
Under Vote 42, subhead J1, €138,000 has been allocated for the Disability Support Agency. This agency works with community development projects to ensure that people with disabilities are targeted in their activities.
Under Vote 42, subhead P1,000, the CAIT – community application of information technology – initiative, €90,678 has been allocated in 2003 to specifically provide people with physical and/or intellectual disabilities and their carers with opportunities to engage with information and communications technologies – ICTs – in a meaningful way.
Under the CAIT II initiative €183,579 has been allocated to provide a variety of technology "late adopter" target groups with access to ICTs. Target groups for this funding includes, but is not exclusive to, people with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
