asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will take steps, in addition to providing social welfare beneficiaries with monetary payments, to provide services and benefits in kind and help to voluntary organisations which are willing to provide such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Aid to Voluntary Organisations.
77.
Services and benefits of the sort the Deputy seems to have in mind are already provided by various agencies, including voluntary organisations, and my Department makes grants towards the cost of some of them, namely, schemes for the welfare of the blind, school meals, cheap fuel and cheap and free footwear. In addition, my Department is represented on an inter-departmental committee which has been set up by the Minister for Health to deal with the improvement and co-ordination at the local level of services for the aged. I am always prepared to consider proposals for extending the range of services for which my Department is responsible.