asked the Minister for Health if he will make a grant available to enable the voluntary ambulance service which is being operated by the Order of Malta at Shannon to be continued.
Written Answers. - Shannon Ambulance Service.
65.
There are no funds at my disposal from which I could make direct grants to voluntary ambulance organisations. Health boards, however, have power to pay grants to voluntary bodies, subject to my approval, and in December, 1975, the Mid-Western Health Board gave a grant of £750 to the Order of Malta in Shannon towards the cost of an ambulance purchased by them.
I understand that the health board recently refused an application for a grant towards the running costs of the Order of Malta's ambulance service at Shannon considering that the Shannon area is adequately served by the board's own ambulance based on Limerick and Ennis.
The board ars examining specially the needs of the area for ambulance services.