Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will explain the policies and protocols behind the management of the charitable donations given to all Irish health institutions under her control or the Health Service Executive; if she will explain the way each fund is distributed; the annual reports in which they are accounted; if they are audited separately or in the HSE annual accounts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3331/11]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if Health Service Executive institutions will be governed by the Charities Act; if each HSE institution has a separate bank account to manage charitable donations; the HSE institutions which have a CHY number from the Revenue Commissioners or, alternatively, have separate charitable bodies to receive, manage and distribute these charitable funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3334/11]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together.

My Department provides funding to numerous organisations through the National Lottery fund for various projects and services in any given year, many of which would have charitable status. A list of the organisations that received lottery funding in 2010 is available on the Department of Health & Children website at www.dohc.ie. The procedures governing the disbursement of the National Lottery fund are also set out on the website, and all organisations must provide certificates of expenditure and accounts where appropriate to confirm that the funding provided was properly spent.

The HSE also provides funding to a large number of voluntary organisations for services, many of these organisations would have charity status. Details of all the organisations funded by the HSE are set out in its Annual Financial Statements. In addition, Section 40 of the Health Act 2004 provides that the Executive may receive donations and gifts subject to such gifts and donations not having conditions attached to them which would be inconsistent with the Executive performing its functions.

With regard to the general management of charitable donations to the HSE and HSE funded agencies, I have referred the matter to the Executive and asked that it reply directly to the Deputy.