AQW 6494/22-27

Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast

Tabled Date: 14/02/2024
Answered On Date: 28/02/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department will continue to fund the (i) Cancer Charities Support Fund; (ii) the Mental Health Support Fund; and (iii) Support for Carers Fund.

Answer:

The Mental Health, Cancer Charities and Carers Support Funds, administered and managed by the Community Foundation NI (CFNI), were established using Covid-19 funding. The funds were one-off, non-recurring for a period of three years, from April 2021 to March 2024. The monies allocated to all three funds are now exhausted.

Due to the financial situation which the Department continues to face, there is no budget to extend these funds and they will end, as planned.

However, CFNI will work with my officials in undertaking a robust evaluation of the funds that can support decisions around future funding provision, should additional funding become available. My Department will continue to explore ways to minimise the impact on services.