Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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553. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that the Irish Deaf Society Advocacy Service, to which he gave bridge funding in July 2014, will receive a regular flow of funding in the future so that it can carry out its brief as the only service through Irish sign language to the national deaf community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38092/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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On 18 July 2014, I announced the allocation of bridging funding of some €1.4 million to a number of previously funded health, disability and other organisations, including the Irish Deaf Society, for a twelve month period, pending the carrying out of a review of the public funding of national organisations in the health and disability sector. The review, which is being undertaken in agreement with my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health with Special Responsibility for Primary Care, Mental Health and Disability, is designed to rationalise the funding of these organisations to ensure efficiency in the use of public money and avoidance of duplication, while providing appropriate support to organisations working in the sector. My Department is engaging with the Department of Health on the matter and following completion of the review, it is intended to publish the outcome in due course.