Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue.

On behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for disabilities, Deputy Finian McGrath, who cannot be here, and also the Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for mental health and older people, Deputy Jim Daly, who is currently in the Seanad, I am happy to outline the position on funding for the Louth-Meath Down Syndrome Ireland branch.

The Louth-Meath branch is one of 25 branches of Down Syndrome Ireland. The goal of the Louth-Meath branch is to help those with Down's syndrome make their own futures as bright and independent as possible by providing them with education, support and friendship every step along the way.

The branch manages an early intervention home teacher programme for preschool children aged from one year to six years with Down's syndrome in counties Louth and Meath. The branch, in co-operation with Clinical Assessment Therapy and Training Services, CATTS, Ireland also runs a speech and language-occupational therapy programme.

Over the past number of years, the HSE has provided lottery grants to the Louth-Meath branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.

In 2015, the number of lottery grant applications increased significantly, in fact, by 200% on 2014 applications, and it was necessary to review the amount of lottery funding to organisations in order to accommodate this higher number.

Initially, in 2016, a number of organisations which applied for lottery funding were advised of reductions in the grants being approved. However, this reduction was reversed and the grant was restored pending a review of the overall funding allocation process. The disability manager then met the DSI Louth-Meath branch and agreed the funding allocation for 2016 and subsequently for 2017.

The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, met officials from the HSE on Monday afternoon and was informed that the HSE has committed to continue to fund DSI Louth-Meath branch for 2018, based on the previous year's allocation pending the completion of a review of the overall funding allocation process in line with the criteria for allocation of the national lottery grants.

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