Vol. 505 No. 3
159 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties encountered by organisations which are funded through health boards under section 65 of the Health Act, 1953, specifically in relation to the cost of pay increases which are not factored into the overall budget available to boards under this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13562/99]
The determinations for 1999 made provision for all the relevant increases in respect of pay and non-pay for the health boards own services and for the agencies directly funded by the boards. Specific funding was made available by my Department to the health boards to cover the 1999 pay costs arising for those agencies funded by way of section 65 grants. The budgets for these organisations are increased appropriately by health boards when the additional allocation is received. A number of health boards provide funding to these voluntary organisations on the basis of service agreements which outline levels of service to be provided by the agency and the funding to be provided by the board. This arrangement includes provision for claims in respect of approved pay increases.
