Vol. 451 No. 7
39 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health the organisations which provide care and counselling for women with crisis pregnancies; the organisations which receive funding from his Department; the amount of funding allotted in 1994 and to date in 1995; the plans, if any, he has to include funding for those organisations presently excluded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7012/95]
Limerick East): A very wide range of organisations within the statutory and voluntary services are involved in different aspects of the care and counselling of women with crisis pregnancies, including pregnancy counselling, ante-natal and post-natal care, maternity services, post-abortion counselling and advice and assistance on matters such as legal rights, health and social welfare entitlements, adoption and fostering. It would not be possible to identify the element of the expenditure of the statutory services, such as health boards and voluntary hospitals, which are attributable to such care and counselling.
Financial support to non-statutory agencies in this field has, to date, been provided by the health boards. In 1994, over £60,000 was provided to three agencies who provide pregnancy counselling, i.e. CURA, LIFE and Cherish, and, in addition, over £30,000 was provided to Treoir, which is the national co-ordinating body of various statutory and voluntary agencies working with unmarried parents and their children. In 1995, the health boards have so far allocated a total of about £40,000 to these agencies.
However, the Deputy will be aware that I informed the House on 2 March that the funding provided for pregnancy counselling is to be greatly increased, as part of the Government's overall programme to reduce the extent to which unwanted pregnancies end in abortion. Funding will be given to the wide spectrum of agencies providing services to women with crisis pregnancies, so that women in all parts of the country will have a choice of accessible services. I have set aside £200,000 for this purpose and have made it clear that this is only the initial provision. The Department of Health will be consulting the health boards to work out the needs in each region, and the appropriate support for statutory and voluntary agencies at a regional and local level in order to meet these needs. In addition, the Department will also be consulting voluntary agencies at a national level. Submissions from any agencies in this field will be welcomed and given careful consideration.
