Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Jun 1996

Vol. 466 No. 5

Written Answers. - Voluntary Organisations Funding.

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

78 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if he has satisfied himself with the manner in which voluntary organisations must deal with eight different health boards when applying for funding; his views on the lack of core funding for headquarters' activities; and the plans, if any, he has to deal with such difficulties. [11842/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The health strategy recognised the difficulties which the direct funding by my Department of certain voluntary agencies created for the development and co-ordination of services at local level to the detriment of patients and clients. In particular, it was considered that this hampered the development of links between community and hospital services, and between statutory and voluntary services. Accordingly, it was decided that voluntary agencies would receive their funding from the health boards and be accountable to them.

The process of implementing the health strategy in relation to the transfer of responsibility for the funding of voluntary agencies providing services to persons with a mental handicap currently directly funded by my Department has commenced. This process will, where appropriate, take account of central management costs in those agencies providing services in more than one health board region. I am satisfied that the new arrangements will have no detrimental effect on funding for headquarters and will enhance the provision of services to local communities.