Vol. 490 No. 3
34 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the progress, if any, made regarding consultation with interested parties on the Green Paper on voluntary and community action; the likely timetable for the publication of the promised White Paper on voluntary and community action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10039/98]
As indicated in my reply to the Deputy's question of 10 March 1998, Official Report, vol. 490, col. 767, I have decided to push back the timeframe for publication of the White Paper to the end of this year. I made this decision so as to allow sufficient time for the necessary consultation and debate with the voluntary and community sector on the Green Paper entitled Supporting Voluntary Activity, a Green Paper on the community and voluntary sector and its relationship with the State, which was published in May 1997.
As the next step in the process, I am establishing a steering group and I have invited a number of people, drawn from a range of relevant agencies and Departments and from the voluntary sector to participate in the group. The terms of reference for the steering group are as follows:
*advise on the consultation process with the sector
*participate in same (i.e. provide speakers as appropriate)
*mediate and comment on feedback and advise on issues and directions for the White Paper. While the writing of the final text of the White Paper would fall to the Department, the intention is to take on board as fully as possible the consensus views of the Steering Group on the issues to be addressed in the White Paper.
It is envisaged that the group will have its first meeting in the next week or so.
