Assistance for guide dogs

Summary

The Minister said his Department does not directly fund guide dogs, while health boards contribute to the National Council for the Blind, which prefers other mobility techniques. Boland cited the council’s recent call for direct government assistance; the Minister reiterated that the council’s official position opposes using funds for guide dogs.

John Boland Mr. Boland Fine Gael

asked the Minister for Health if his Department provides any assistance towards the training or provision of guide dogs for the blind.

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Charles J. Haughey Mr. Haughey Fianna Fáil

: My Department do not provide assistance for this purpose but, from funds provided from my Vote, the health boards make contributions to the National Council for the Blind. I understand that the council do not favour using funds for the provision of dogs for blind persons and prefer other techniques to facilitate such persons in maintaining mobility.

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John Boland Mr. Boland Fine Gael

: Is the Minister not aware that a spokesman for the council called on the Government within the past month to make direct assistance available for the purchase of dogs?

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Charles J. Haughey Mr. Haughey Fianna Fáil

: Relations in this regard would be between the council and the health board. The official attitude of the National Council for the Blind is as I have outlined. There are a number of arguments against the use of guide dogs.

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