Vol. 498 No. 2
224 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he has received a request from AMEN to assist in funding its forthcoming conference which is one of the first in the world on the subject of male domestic violence; if he will offer financial assistance in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27025/98]
The group referred to in the Deputy's question applied for funding in November this year towards the cost of organising and holding a conference to address the issue of male victims of domestic abuse. As that area comes under the remit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform the request was forwarded there.
AMEN had also applied for funding for networking seminars under my Department's 1998 scheme of grants to locally based community and family support groups. This scheme is one of a number of schemes operated by my Department which concentrates on a wide range of support for voluntary and community groups involved in programmes of self-help and personal development, designed to tackle poverty and disadvantage and to improve family life.
The application from AMEN was approved in September 1998 and a grant of £2,000 issued on 13 October 1998 towards the cost of seminars and networking.
