Vol. 467 No. 3
5 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Social Welfare the current status of the White Paper on Voluntary Organisations; the plans, if any he has in respect of the publishing of this White Paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12789/96]
The commitment to publish a White Paper was first given by the then Minister in 1990. Following a round of consultation with voluntary and community groups, an interdepartmental task force was set up to assist the Department of Social Welfare in drafting material for the White Paper on Voluntary Activity in 1992. The task force completed its work in July 1993. The work of drafting the text for a White Paper then commenced in the Department of Social Welfare and a draft had been prepared by December 1994.
I reviewed the draft when I came to office. I did not consider that the draft adequately reflected the various developments that had occurred in the intervening period. My intention was then to have the White Paper published by the end of 1995, but it was not possible to do so due to the introduction of a number of new policy initiatives which in themselves had the potential for a substantial impact on the relationship between the voluntary and community sector and statutory agencies.
The essential difficulty has been that much has been happening in the community and voluntary sector and related areas which are likely to have an impact on the draft white paper. This includes reform of the Department of Social Welfare grant schemes for voluntary organisations, implementation of the programme for local urban and rural development and perhaps most importantly of all the national anti-poverty strategy. I might also mention in this context the Taoiseach's announcement of the establishment of a western development commission to promote coherent action for economic and social development by public bodies, social partners and communitybased groups throughout the Western Region.
The national anti-poverty strategy is designed to fundamentally change the way in which Government tackles the issues of poverty and social exclusion and has involved a widespread consultation process with the voluntary sector. The strategy, after an essential lead in period of consultation, is now entering its most critical stages of policy development. Not taking the NAPS process into account in the White Paper would have meant it would have been out of date even prior to its publication.
These developments necessitated a detailed re-drafting of the text of the draft White Paper which is nearing completion. As I indicated in my previous reply, I hope to be able to make an announcement on the White Paper in the very near future.
I asked the Minister a similar question on 22 February 1996. He replied then that he would circulate the White Paper to his Government colleagues and obtain replies from them. Did this happen? Has the Minister's Government colleagues been slow to reply? What has happened since last February?
It has not been circulated to my Government colleagues as yet. I hope to do so in the near future.
Does the Minister think that is good enough? He has been in office 17 months and the White Paper was virtually ready when he took up office. Seventeen months later and four months after he advised that he would do something in the near future he is still talking about it.
The Minister has not accepted the importance of the White Paper to voluntary organisations. The voluntary bodies are fund-raising, struggling, helping out, and are unsure of funding. They depend on the White Paper charter that may give them core and multi annual funding. They have been waiting for the White Paper for 18 months.
It is very disappointing that the Minister has not circulated the paper to his Government colleagues. Will he ask the extra staff in his office to concentrate on the White Paper and charter for voluntary organisations?
I agree with the Deputy that the proposed White Paper on the voluntary sector is important, but I would caution her not to believe it will produce a magic formula to solve the funding problems of the voluntary sector in general. Since taking up office I have undertaken initiatives which involve the voluntary sector. The national anti-poverty strategy involved widespread consultation with the voluntary sector and has taken it on board in preparing the documentation for that strategy. The voluntary sector will also be involved in its implementation.
We have established a Commission on the Family which also consults with the voluntary sector with regard to how services can be enhanced and integrated for support for families. We have also involved the voluntary sector in the preparation and delivery of the security package for the elderly which I introduced since I took up office.
We are involved with the voluntary sector in a range of initiatives. The development of the money, advice and budgeting service obliges us to act in partnership with the voluntary sector and other State agencies such as the health boards and local authorities. The community development programme, which we are developing and expanding, is a partnership between my Department and the voluntary sector. We provide funding to a range of national network organisations which support the voluntary sector in its contribution to the National Economic and Social Forum.
This is only a small sample of what my Department and staff are doing in working with the voluntary sector. Any claim or indication that the absence of the production of a White Paper means nothing is happening in this area is false. It indicates a lack of understanding of what is taking place and how my Department is supporting the voluntary sector.
I will produce the White Paper as soon as I consider it is appropriate and ready for publication. It is important in itself, but it is even more important that it be properly prepared, that it properly reflect the reality of what has been achieved and what can be achieved in the partnership that is developing between the voluntary sector and Government Departments and State agencies generally.
The Minister sounds plausible, but he said this in February. He also said then he was keen to publish a White Paper which would clearly state Government policy which would have a realistic prospect of implementation during this administration whose time is running out. Is there anything sinister in the fact that this is always being pushed forward and nothing is happening. In February the Minister said he was keen to do it properly during this administration, that it would be a clear statement of Government policy, that it would be circulated to Government Ministers, that the replies would be back and that it would all happen tomorrow. Four months later we are no further on. Why was the White Paper not circulated as promised on 22 February in the Dáil? Why are we no further on than we were than, even though voluntary organisations throughout the country are waiting for it? Is it not being treated by the Department as seriously as it should be, or is there something sinister about this undue delay?
I never promised it would be circulated "tomorrow", I said that we would do it as soon as humanly possible.
I asked at the time whether we were talking about weeks or months. Now I have to ask whether we are talking about weeks, months or years.
I said in my reply that I hoped to be able to make an announcement in relation to the White Paper in the very near future.
Weeks, months or years?
That is as precise as I can be. The Deputy asked specifically why it has not been circulated to the other Departments. It is quite simply because I want to get it right before I circulate it because when it goes to other Departments I want to be sure it gets through them and into Government with approval as quickly as possible.
The relationship between the voluntary sector, State agencies and Departments is changing and evolving all the time. The world is different now from three or four years ago when the idea of a White Paper was first proposed. It would be ridiculous to circulate a draft White Paper based on circumstances that existed in 1993. It simply would not make sense, and the voluntary sector would be the first to say it was nonsense, as it would be.
Deputy M. Wallace rose.
I must proceed to other questions. The Deputy had a very good innings.
The Minister sat on this for 18 months and we have been told nothing new today. That is a disgrace.
