Vol. 490 No. 5
246 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of committees, expert groups, outside agencies and study groups he has set up since July 1997; the topic each group is examining; the number of members in each group; when each group is due to report; and the costs, if any, associated with each group. [10694/98]
My Department is involved in a wide range of working groups, committees etc., and has ongoing business liaisons with other Departments and agencies who deliver a complementary service.
Since July 1997 I have set up a number of committees and working groups, the details of which are set out below. In general, the costs incurred are incidental expenses associated with servicing the work of the groups.
The Working Group on Women's Access to Labour Market Opportunities was established under Partnership 2000 and held its first meeting in October 1997. The group is comprised of 13 members, representative of the four Pillars of Partnership 2000 and relevant Government Departments.
The Small Business Users' Forum was set up in December 1997 between the Department and the Revenue Commissioners to consider how the administration of the social welfare and PAYE systems can be improved and simplified. There is an overall steering group made up of representatives from all the organisations involved and business users panels comprising of employers and public servants. The steering group has a total of 11 members. Each business user panel will have 12 to 15 members. The work of the forum will be ongoing and recommendations will be made on a regular basis.
The Inter-Departmental Community Trust Working Group was set up in February to examine the feasibility of establishing a community trust to support voluntary and community activity in Ireland. The group includes representatives from eight Government Departments and is expected to submit its proposals within a few months.
The Steering Group on issues to be addressed in the White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity is being set up on issues to be addressed in the proposed White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity. Seventeen people have been invited to participate in the group in addition to three representatives from my Department. The group's first meeting will take place on 8 May 1998.
Regarding programme evaluations, the Department is engaged in a programme of expenditure reviews in a number of different areas and working groups have been set up, with representatives of other relevant Departments to assist the process. Costs, as yet unquantified, will arise in the engagement of outside expertise to assist on some of this work.
