John Bruton
Ceist:763 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the grant aid allocated to the Navan branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association over the past three years, including 2001. [21014/01]
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
As the Deputy may be aware, a number of Departments are involved in the provision of funding for voluntary and community organisations, with the remit of respective Departments determining which organisations and services may be eligible for funding. While it is not clear from the Deputy's question which aspect of the Irish Wheelchair Association's operations he is inquiring about, he may wish to note that funding for organisations dealing with disability or health issues is primarily the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children and of health boards. Responsibility for funding of disability services, particularly for provision of respite care, was transferred to the Department of Health and Children in 1995 to bring greater clarity and coherence to the division of responsibilities between the two Departments.
My Department is not in a position to provide funding for services and activities which come within the remit of other Departments. It provides support for locally-based community and family support groups involved in identifying and addressing poverty and social exclusion in their own communities through a range of programmes and once-off grant schemes. Long-term funding programmes include the community development programme, the family and community services resource centre programme and the programme of core funding for local community and family support groups. Once-off grant schemes include a scheme of grants for voluntary organisations, a scheme for local community and family support groups and the community development, education and training grants scheme.
The Navan branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association has received funding under the above once-off grant schemes during the past three years. In 2000, the branch received £1,000 for personal development and capacity building. In 1999, the branch received £1,000 for personal development and in 1998, £2,000 was allocated for a community arts training programme. All three donations comprised schemes of grants for local community and family support groups.
An application has also been received by my Department, under the 2001 grants scheme to voluntary organisations, from the Navan branch of the Irish Wheelchair Association. The application requested funding of £1,000 for arts and crafts lessons. This application is currently under consideration in the regional office of my Department, which will make contact with the group in due course regarding the application. Details of all funding made available under various schemes and programmes are made available to the Oireachtas Library each year for the information of Members.
Question No. 764 answered with Question No. 762.