Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Nov 2003

Vol. 573 No. 4

Written Answers. - Departmental Funding.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

270 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health and Children the amount of funding from his Department to health boards for family planning services; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Northern Area Health Board has cut funding for services for medical card holders at the Irish Family Planning Association clinic at Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin; if he will raise this with the board and urge reversal of the cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25896/03]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Each health board is obliged to ensure that an equitable, accessible and comprehensive family planning service is provided in its area. The Department issued guidelines to the health boards in 1995 on the provision of family planning services to all persons in their areas who need such services. These services are provided primarily through general practitioners, non-governmental organisations and, to some extent, maternity hospitals or maternity units. Significant additional funding of €5.73 million was provided for the development of family planning and pregnancy counselling services between 1999 and 2002.

I am advised that in August 2000, the Northern Area Health Board, in partnership with the Irish Family Planning Association, initiated a family planning/women's health service at the Irish Family Planning Association's premises in Cathal Brugha Street. The services provided are complementary to those available to medical card holders through their own general practitioners and they are intended to provide an element of choice for medical card holders in the area of reproductive health.

In 2003, a budget of €140,000 was made available to the Irish Family Planning Association for the provision of services to medical cardholders. This represented an increase of 10% on the pre vious year's allocation. The Irish Family Planning Association was asked to take appropriate steps to manage the delivery of services within its allocation, but failed to do so, and has suspended services to medical cardholders with effect from 13 October 2003.

I understand that officials from the Northern Area Health Board will shortly be meeting the management of the IFPA to review the matter. Medical cardholders in the area are still entitled to gain access to reproductive health services through their general practitioners.