Vol. 394 No. 8
82 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Health if he will outline the Government's plans for the future of the Health Research Board, in view of the resignation of the chairman of the board in protest at the Government's failure to provide adequate funding; if it is intended to make additional resources available; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
395 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Health if he intends to restore funding for the Health Research Board to an adequate level in order to enable it to complete its functions; and if his attention has been drawn to the drastic consequences which the cuts in funding have had for the work of the board and the medical researchers it has assisted in the past.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 395 together.
The 1990 allocation of £1.3 million to the Health Research Board is the same as in 1989 and adequate to enable the board to maintain its research programme.
Because of the importance I attach to medical research I am also pursuing, with my colleague the Minister for Science and Technology, the possibility of additional resources being made available from the European Community and ways in which the programme of the Health Research Board might benefit from association with the science and technology programme. I would also remind Deputies that there is a substantial additional investment in research as part of the on-going delivery of health services.
The board have elected a new chairman. My Department will continue to work with the board on the implementation of its programme. I will be in touch with the board in the near future regarding their corporate plan for the years ahead.
