asked the Minister for Health whether the National Community Development Agency is a separate body from the National Social Service Board; if so, how long it has existed as a separate body, and whether it still exists; what its precise functions are/were; whether it has ever published a report of its activities; and how many persons it employs/employed.
Written Answers. - National Community Development Agency.
29.
The National Community Development Agency was set up in December 1982 under the terms of the National Community Development Agency Act, 1982. It was abolished in 1984 and its staff were transferred to the new National Social Service Board set up under the National Social Service Board Act, 1984.
Broadly speaking the functions of the agency were to foster community development and activity, encourage self help and local voluntary effort in the community, provide support, advice and financial assistance to voluntary organisations involved in community development and social services and to promote greater public understanding of the nature, causes and extent of poverty and social deprivation and the measures required to alleviate them.
The report of the agency for its short existence has not yet been published, but it is being prepared and is near completion. The agency employed 19 people on a full time basis; there was one vacancy and three staff were employed on contract to service the National Council for the Aged.