Vol. 400 No. 3
116 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health whether his attention has been drawn to the crisis and threatened closure of special nursery facilities (details supplied) in Dublin 5 due to the forced cutback in the proportion of running costs funded by the Eastern Health Board from 70 per cent in 1980 to under 40 per cent; and if he will review the funding available to the board for such funding.
The Deputy will appreciate that funding of groups such as this nursery centre within the Killester social services council is a matter for the Eastern Health Board.
The board inform me that their annual grant towards this nursery was increased from £9,000 in 1988 to £11,000 in 1989 and will be further increased to at least £12,000 in 1990, with a possible further sum being paid when the audited accounts are made available.
The present difficulty seems to have been caused by the total withdrawal of a subvention of approximately £9,000 per annum by the social services council towards the running of the nursery centre. If total withdrawal is essential, perhaps it could be effected on a phased basis to tie in with possible increased future funding by the health board. I have no doubt that the board would be prepared to discuss this possibility with the social services council.
