Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her Department has received a request for funding under schemes financed from proceeds of the national lottery from an organisation (details supplied) in County Cork; when a decision will be made in respect of this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3163/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The application referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department in March 2008. Applications for the National Lottery grants far exceed resources. Funds available for 2008 were disbursed based upon an overall assessment of applications received. Accordingly, it is not possible to assist in this particular case.

The assessment of applications is informed by the fact that National Lottery Grants are discretionary 'once off' funding. The application in question is for on-going funding to provide childcare facilities. The National Childcare Investment Programme (NCIP) provides a capital grant scheme for the development of childcare facilities, which is open to both commercial and community-based providers including voluntary groups, and the Community Childcare Subvention Scheme 2008-2010 (CCSS) which is confined to community — based providers including voluntary groups.

The Childcare facility in question receives CCSS funding under the NCIP scheme and is required to meet the rest of its operational costs from fee income like all other services supported under this scheme. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to grant National Lottery funding in this situation. To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has satisfied herself that the level of funding her Department is providing to the Health Service Executive for the salaries of community welfare officers is sufficient to allow local officers meet the extra demand placed on them arising from the economic downturn or to allow the HSE to recruit additional officers