P J Sheehan (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 158 of 28 April 2009 and 167 of 30 June 2009, the number of applications received by Pobal for funding under the suicide prevention measure; the groups who applied for same; the amount sought by each group; the amount sought in total by these groups; the average sought by each of these groups; the date by which these applications had to be submitted to Pobal; the date that Pobal had completed their assessments of these applications; the date she received these assessments from Pobal; the dates of each meeting that the economic and social disadvantage interdepartmental committee has met since August 2008; the dates of each meeting of the economic and social disadvantage interdepartmental committee at which the funding under the suicide prevention measure was an item on the agenda for that meeting; the date of the next meeting of the economic and social disadvantage interdepartmental committee; the dates of meetings arranged for the remainder of 2009 of the economic and social disadvantage interdepartmental committee the date she expects to have completed the assessments made by Pobal of the applications received regarding suicide prevention; the date she expects to present the completed assessment to the economic and social disadvantage interdepartmental committee; if she will confirm that €1 million is available and will be given to these groups for funding to these applicants; when she expects to issue this funding; the activity that took place on assessing these applications between 28 April 2009 and 30 June 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27805/09]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, through POBAL, invited applications for funding under the suicide prevention measure on 4th July 2008 with the closing date for applications cited as 26th September 2008. €1m was identified to fund the measure. I understand that a total of 111 applications were received totalling €7.7m.

Funding decisions are made by Government on the basis of recommendations made by the Economic and Social Disadvantage Interdepartmental Committee, which is chaired by my colleague, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and his Department will address the information sought in respect of the work of the Committee.

My Department is considering the assessments made by POBAL of the applications received and, in light of the current national economic situation, is also considering the timeframe for the funding of this measure. Recommendations in this regard will be made to the Interdepartmental Committee shortly.