National Lottery Funding Applications

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013

Wednesday, 16 January 2013

Ceisteanna (1123)

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

1123. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Health the reason an organisation (details supplied) in County Wicklow did not receive an official response from his Department to inform it that its application for a national lottery grant had been denied; the reason its application did not meet the criteria; if he is satisfied with the explanation that the funds have been disbursed; if there is an appeals process in place for it to pursue; if so, the way the appeal processes for decisions on lottery funding refusals operates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1958/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

National Lottery applications are received by my Department from a range of community and voluntary organisations involved in various health related activities. The relevant Unit in my Department liaises with the appropriate personnel in the Health Service Executive to assess each individual application and consider whether the application should be recommended for funding. When the assessment has been completed and a recommendation has been made, I review each application and prioritise them according to their merits before awarding National Lottery funding.

An application for funding from the 2012 Lottery allocation was received in March from the organisation in question. The application was reviewed by my Department and a decision was made that funding should not be provided on this occasion. My Department informed the organisation of this decision on 2 January 2013. If funding for this project is required in 2013, the organisation may wish to apply for a grant from the 2013 National Lottery allocation.

Detailed procedures, along with the application form are set out on my Department's website - www.doh.ie