Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 1990

Vol. 394 No. 8

Written Answers. - National Lottery Allocations.

Michael Bell

Ceist:

358 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Health the plans he has to make an allocation of funds from the national lottery to the Drogheda branch of The Irish Red Cross Society for the purchase of a new ambulance; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the unit ambulance is nine years old and that a replacement will cost £20,000; to the fact that the unit provides a service to help all hospitals in the Drogheda area and provides a wide variety of essential services to the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Hanlon)

The Deputy will appreciate that a very large number of applications of national lottery funding has been received by my Department and in view of the limited funds at my disposal I can, at most, provide financial assistance for a small percentage of the total number of applications received. In establishing priorities between the applications I regret that I was not in a position to provide funding for the Drogheda branch of the Irish Red Cross Society in 1989. From this year on, responsibility for the making of such grants to local bodies from lottery funds will be a matter for each health board.