Mary Wallace
Ceist:241 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Health the nature and extent of all permanent funding available for the provision of peer counselling services for people with disabilities. [15926/96]
Written Answers. - Counselling Services.
Limerick East): Peer counselling services are currently being provided by the Irish Wheelchair Association. The Department of Social Welfare gave initial funding to assist in the establishment of the service which was officially launched in 1995. The Eastern Health Board has provided £10,000 funding in 1995 and in 1996. The board is committed to providing this grant on an annual basis. The Irish Wheelchair Association is involved in preliminary discussions with the remaining health boards with a view to providing peer counselling services on a nationwide basis. I understand that the training course for the peer counselling programme is funded by the EU under the Horizon (Disabled) Programme.