asked the Minister for Social Welfare, in relation to the National Committee on Pilot Schemes to Combat Poverty (1) its terms of reference, the extent to which, and the manner in which each of these terms has been fulfilled since its establishment, (2) the amount of money received by it in 1978 and the manner in which it was expended, (3) the percentage of its total budget represented by staff costs, (4) the authority for its establishment, (5) the extent to which he is answerable to the Oireachtas for its activities, (6) if it publishes an annual report, if this is presented to the Oireachtas and, if not, why, and (7) if he has made any alteration in its terms of reference in the past two years or has in any other way sought to influence its activities and, if so, in what respects.
Written Answers. - Poverty Committee.
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
1. The Committee operates under the following terms of reference—
(1) The committee shall advise on the development, operation and monitoring of the programmes of pilot schemes to combat poverty;
(2) The committee shall act as a general advisory committee for the programme and, in particular, advise on the terms of reference and conditions of employment of the director and other specialist staff required for the operation of the programme;
(3) The committee shall monitor the working and progress of the programme, provide for the research requirements of the programme and make appropriate recommendations, both on policy and on action;
(4) The committee shall advise on such further relevant matters as it may be requested to do from time to time by the Minister for Social Welfare;
(5) The committee shall consist of a chairman, the director of the programme, such number of persons as the Minister for Social Welfare shall nominate and representatives of appropriate Government Departments;
(6) The committee shall have a secretary provided by the Department of Social Welfare;
(7) The committee shall be responsible to and report to the Minister for Social Welfare;
(8) The committee shall be responsible for the formulation of general policy which shall be submitted to the Minister for Social Welfare for approval. These policies, when approved shall be carried out by the director under the supervision of the Advisory Committee;
(9) The committee shall be responsible for the recruitment of specialist and other staff necessary to enable it to proceed to action, subject to prior approval of the Minister for Social Welfare as to numbers, rates of pay and other conditions of service;
(10) The committee shall have authority to incur any necessary expenditure arising out of the discharge of its responsibilities subject to its annual financial allocation not being exceeded. The committee shall, however, consult the Minister for Social Welfare before making any major commitment of resources.
The committee is, in accordance with its terms of reference, involved in eight local community action projects—in West Donegal, West Connemara, the Beara Peninsula, North Leitrim, the Erris area of County Mayo, the North Inner City area of Dublin, Ennis and Galway City. It is also involved in Urban Resource Projects in Waterford, Cork City, Dublin South City Area, Ballyfermot, Athlone and with projects with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Threshold, Free Legal Advice Centres Ltd. (FLAC). The committee is further involved in projects relating to the Supplementary Welfare Allowances Scheme and the Social Service Council Scheme.
2. In 1978, the sum of £520,000 was made available to the committee through my Department's Vote. As all accounts for 1978 have not yet been furnished by the committee it is not possible to detail the manner in which this money was expended.
3. The percentage of total budget represented by staff costs in 1978 is 37 per cent.
4. The committee was established by my predecessor in May 1974 as part of the Social Action Programme adopted by Resolution of the EEC Council of Ministers in January 1974.
5. As indicated in my reply to a question by the Deputy on 8 February 1978, all the committee's funds are provided through Subhead K of the Vote for my Department which treats as appropriations-in-aid contributions from the EEC as part of the cost of projects undertaken by the committee. The amounts paid to the committee are accounted for in the Appropriation Account of the Vote for my Department which is subject to examination by the Committee of Public Accounts.
6. An annual report is not published by the committee. However, as I indicated in my reply to a question on 14 December 1978, an interim report entitled Pilot Schemes 1978 was published by the Committee in November 1978.
7. I have not made any alterations to the committee's terms of reference but, of course, I have made suggestions from time to time about the various projects submitted by the committee for my approval.