Vol. 374 No. 7
asked the Minister for Health the reason it was decided to abolish the National Social Service Board; if in view of the excellent work done by the board and the organisations which depend on it, informing the public as to their rights and entitlements, he will reconsider the decision; if he will indicate the arrangements, if any, which are being made to maintain the Community Information Centres which depend on the NSSB; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
50.
asked the Minister for Health when he will bring forward legislation to repeal the Act under which the National Social Service Board was established; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With your permission, a Cheann Chomhairle I, propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 50 together.
The decision to discontinue funding of the National Social Service Board with effect from 1 January 1988 followed a general review by the Government of State bodies which are supported from public funds. It was considered that the services could be provided at less cost without diminishing the quality of the service.
I recognise the value to the public of the community information centres and I intend that they will continue to operate with the support of the health boards and other public authorities. Details of the new arrangements are under discussion between my Department and other interests concerned.
I am satisfied that it is unnecessary for the purpose of the new arrangements to repeal the Act under which the board was established. I have made arrangements to ensure that the National Council for the Aged continues its work on which I place a high value.
I am a little bit perturbed on a number of fronts. Does the Minister expect that the services provided for a very small sum of less than £500,000 and a staff of 20 providing a whole range of services from insurance and training courses to community information services can now be performed by his Department and can maintain any semblance of independence to criticise Government policy while, operating directly from his Department?
The services will not all be provided by my Department. I expect the Department of Social Welfare will have a major input in view of the fact that 50 per cent of the inquiries received by the information centres are concerned with social welfare matters. One of the reasons it was decided to abolish the National Social Service Board was that there was so much duplication.
The community information centres are of vital importance. A number of other functions are provided by the National Social Service Board including a group insurance scheme which offers very competitive insurance cover to voluntary organisations, more than 200 nationwide, and the 850 people from voluntary and statutory bodies who were trained last year. Who will provide this training? Who will provide this insurance cover? Can it be done on a cost saving basis when all this was provided last year on a budget of less than £500,000?
The services will be provided including the insurance scheme for which alternative arrangements will be made. The National Council for the Aged have their own council and that council will continue. They will be directly responsible to the Department of Health whereas formerly they were responsible to the National Social Services Board.
Does the Minister intend to continue to fund and publish the journal Relate?
I will take account of what the Deputy has requested.
