Vol. 485 No. 2
281 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the work being undertaken by the Men's Networking Resource Centre of Ireland; and if he will make adequate core funding available to the organisation to enable it to maintain and develop its activities. [22998/97]
The Men's Networking Resource Centre applied earlier this year to my Department for inclusion in the community development programme. This application was unsuccessful as the focus of the CDP is on the funding of local resource centres and not on national networks of groups.
The organisation was informed of the position by letter from my Department. However, the letter also indicated that the group could apply for funding under the Department's schemes of grants to locally-based men's groups and to voluntary organisations and they have done so on a number of occasions. The group was allocated grants of £5,000 in 1996 and £4,250 in 1997 under the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations and a further £4,500 in 1997 under the scheme of grants to locally-based men's groups.
