Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 1

Written Answers. - Facilities for the Deaf.

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

86 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the considerable work done by deaf associations throughout the country; if his attention has further been drawn to the financial difficulties faced by them in providing facilities for their members; his views on whether these groups play a particular role in providing an opportunity to their members to communicate easily with others; and if he will undertake to provide funding for the Navan Deaf Centre, County Meath. [14503/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The provision of funding to voluntary organisations representing people with physical and sensory disabilities, including people with hearing impairments, is a matter for the health boards. I have asked the boards to provide details of grants provided in 1995 to such organisations and I will forward this information to the Deputy as soon as it is available. To date the North-Eastern Health Board has not received a request for funding from the Navan Deaf Centre.

Following tripartite discussions between the National Rehabilitation Board, the National Association for the Deaf (NAD) and the Irish Deaf Society to consider the provision of a Deaf Interpretative Service, I have received a lottery application for funding to which I am currently giving careful consideration. In addition, a grant of £11,000 was provided in 1995 by the Eastern Health Board to NAD and the Irish Hard of Hearing Association for lip-reading services.