Vol. 560 No. 1
659 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will reconsider an application for lottery funds from an association (details supplied); if not, if he will consider the application under another heading to enable this association to improve, maintain and expand its equipment bank; the funding granted to this association in each year of the years 1999, 2000 and 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1325/03]
There is a set protocol in place for processing applications for national lottery grants. When an application is received in my Department it is registered in the finance unit and forwarded to the relevant services division for their assessment, evaluation and recommendation. All applications are then considered in the context of the recommendation and the overall level of funds available.
The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association has received grants from the Department of Health and Children allocation of national lottery funds towards the maintenance and expansion of its equipment bank since 1999 as follows: 1999, €12,697.38; 2000, €101,579.05; 2001, Nil; 2002, Nil.
While the national lottery application submitted in 2002 was recommended for a grant by the services division, the number of applications received far exceeded the available resources and it was not possible to assist in this particular case during 2002. The organisation was informed of this on 26 November 2002 and advised that it may apply for a grant from the 2003 national lottery allocation if funding for this project was still required. My Department made an application form available to the organisation on 23 January 2003.
