asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to the serious financial crisis facing the Irish Association for Victim Support due to lack of funds; if, in particular, his attention has been drawn to the fact that this association have had to lay off their full time administrator because they do not have funds for further wages, if, in view of the importance of the work done by this association and the absence of any equivalent State organisation, he will arrange to make emergency funds available to allow them to continue, pending discussions on the long term funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Victim Support Association.
40.
I am aware of the situation as stated by the Deputy.
A sum of £8,000 has been provided in my Department's Estimates for 1988 to enable a grant to be paid to the Irish Association for Victim Support whose work I fully support. To date £4,000 has been paid to the association and a request dated 9 December for the remaining £4,000 is being processed by my Department. There are no further funds available to me from which I could make additional payments to the association. The grant for the association in the annual Estimates is a token of my support for the association. The primary funding of the association, however, must come from the voluntary efforts of its membership.