NEARLY €3 MILLION has been pledged to health initiatives from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
The disbursement comes as part of €28.5 million which will be used to fight disadvantage across the country.
Every year, dormant accounts and unclaimed life assurance policies are transferred to the Dormant Accounts Fund which is managed by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). It is then periodically disbursed to government departments.
Today marked the adoption of the Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan 2016, which will see the money given to the Departments of Health, Social Protection, Education, Justice, Transport and Youth Affairs.
The Department of Social Protection will use €2.4 million to fund the Gateway employment programme, €1.75 million to fund social enterprise schemes and €1.25 million on programmes to find employment for disadvantaged youths.
Nearly €2 million will be given to the Department of Justice to fund Garda projects in “key” areas. It will also spend €400,000 on youth work in Limerick’s regeneration area and €1.2 million on Garda diversion projects in Ballyfermot in Dublin and Moyross in Limerick.
The Department of Health will spend €1.46 million on a mobile health screening unit which serves marginalised groups such as homeless people, migrants and travellers.
The department will spend €1 million on a programme for those with dementia and €450,000 on a health project for refugees.
The Department of Youth Affairs will receive €750,000 for a Big Brothers Big Sisters programme and €7 million for “an initiative aimed at breaking the cycle of childhood poverty”.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport will get €4.5 million for funding community sports hubs and sports measures for disadvantaged communities.
Nearly €370,000 will be spent by the Department of Education on integrating newcomer students and €280,000 will go towards arts in eduction.
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