Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will continue to co-fund the joint funding scheme with the medical research charities group for patient-led medical research; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40177/09]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will continue to support the medical research charities group joint funding scheme; if this funding will be itemised in the budget Estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40404/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 220 together.

I am a strong supporter of health research and believe that it makes significant contributions not only to the achievement of health research goals but to the broader social and economic ones. This has been acknowledged in the Renewed Programme for Government and also in the Action Plan for Health Research which I recently published. That Action Plan recognises the significant level of investment made by the Medical Research Charities Group in health research in this country.

Over the period 2006-2008 a total sum of €3 million has been made available from the allocation to the Health Research Board towards the joint funding scheme operated in conjunction with the Medical Research Charities Group. The annual provision of €1 million which supports this initiative continues to be available to the Health Research Board in the current year. I understand that on an annual basis this provision supports both commitments in respect of previous awards and new awards.

The allocations to health agencies in 2010, including the Health Research Board, will be determined after the Budgetary process is concluded and I am not in a position to provide details at this stage in the process.