asked the Minister for Social Welfare when the anti-poverty agency promised in the Fine Gael-Labour joint programme for Government will be established; if it will be established as a statutory agency; what funds will be made available to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anti-Poverty Agency.
4.
A sum of £1 million has been provided in the 1984 Estimates for an Anti-Poverty Programme and I will be putting proposals shortly to the Government for the establishment of an organisation to combat poverty in accordance with the commitment in the joint programme for Government. Following the Government decision I will issue an immediate statement.
The question also asked if the organisation will be a statutory agency. Will the function of the agency simply be the disbursing of the £1 million or will they have other functions?
As I stated, proposals will be put to the Government shortly and following the Government decision I will issue an immediate statement.
I do not think that is an adequate answer. This agency was promised last year. Will this Dáil be involved in the establishment of this agency or will it be the Minister in his own right appointing various individuals to a committee? At this point is it proposed that this organisation will spend this £1 million for voluntary organisations, or will they actually get down to fighting poverty?
As I said, proposals are being put to the Government and I cannot anticipate the Government's decision.
Before we leave that question, would the Minister not accept that it is wrong that the National Community Development Agency, which has a combat poverty element, was not allowed function seeing that moneys were allocated for that purpose for 1983 which would have alleviated some of the hardship?
This question may have prompted it but that is a different question.
I do not agree, and it is another question.