The Combat Poverty Agency is a statutory agency established under the Combat Poverty Agency Act, 1986. Details of its annual budgets are provided in the published Estimates each year. In addition, the accounts and annual report of the agency are laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. The agency is funded on a grant-in-aid basis and received Exchequer funding in each of the years 1995 to 1997 as follows: 1995, £1.920 million; 1996, £2.061 million; and 1997, £2.257 million.
In addition, the agency receives funding under various EU initiatives and generates a small amount of income through publications etc. The agency received funding of £536,183 in 1996 under the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation for cross-Border community development initiatives. My Department also funds the National Social Service Board to the extent of £1,221,000 in 1995 — from June 1995 — £2,592,000 in 1996 and £2,970,000 in 1997. In addition, grants were made to the following organisations in 1995 and 1996 — grants for 1997 are under consideration—