Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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341. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason money under the Pobal-administered funding for voluntary organisations has been cut to the Neurological Alliance of Ireland; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this organisation is a vital representative and advocacy group for over 700,000 persons here living with a neurological condition; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland has the lowest number of neurologists in Europe and this area is in serious need of effective advocacy; if he will reinstate the funding immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30329/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding was advertised for applications earlier this year. I asked Pobal to undertake an assessment of the applications received, given that organisation's significant experience and expertise of both the design of assessment criteria and completion of assessment functions. I was anxious to make funding available to as many organisations as possible within the prevailing resource constraints and I approved 55 applications for funding for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. The Neurological Alliance of Ireland is not one of the organisations approved for funding on this occasion.

Pobal has put in place a dedicated team to deal with any inquiries from applicants and to provide detailed feedback. There is also an appeals process and Pobal has provided applicants with detailed information in that regard. As this appeals process is now live, it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment on the funding process or on the application of any particular organisation.