Written Answers - Departmental Bodies.
David Stanton
Question:
323
Mr. Stanton
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the title, role and composition of all task forces, review groups, advisory bodies and any other agencies operating under the aegis of his Department; the date of establishment of each body; and the reports, if any, published by each group in the past 12 months.
[24885/98]
My Department is involved in a wide range of working groups, committees, etc. and also has on-going business liaisons with other Departments and agencies who deliver a complementary service. The following are the details requested by the Deputy in relation to the relevant bodies currently operating under the aegis of my Department. The composition of each body is outlined in Appendix A.
The statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the National Social Service Board, the Pensions Board and the Combat Poverty Agency.
The National Social Service Board was established in 1984 and comprises of 15 members. The board is responsible for the development and provision of information and advice on social services for citizens throughut the country. The NSSB publishes an annual report each year, the most recent being published this month. I will shortly be announcing details of the membership of the new board.
The Pensions Board was set up under the Pensions Act, 1990. It is a representative body comprising a chairperson and fourteen ordinary members. The membership of the board comprises representatives nominated by trade unions, employers, Departments, the pensions industry, member trustees and professional groups involved with occupational pension schemes.
The role of the board is to monitor and supervise the provisions of the Pensions Act, 1990, and pension developments generally; and to advise the Minister on all matters relating to the functions assigned to the board and on matters relating to pensions generally.
The Pensions Board published its report on the National Pensions Policy Initiative — entitled "Securing Retirement Income"— in May last. On publication, I circulated a copy of the report to all members of the House.
The main functions of the Combat Poverty Agency are to advise the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs on all aspects of economic and social planning in relation to poverty; to initiate and evaluate measures aimed at overcoming poverty; and to promote greater public understanding of the nature, causes and extent of poverty and the measures necessary to overcome poverty. The agency was established in September 1986 and there are currently 16 members on the board. The agency also establishes subcommitees from time to time. The agency publishes a large volume of reports each year including an annual report; details of these are included in Appendix B.
The Steering Committee for the White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity was set up in May 1998 to assist my Department in the preparation of the proposed White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity. Eighteen people drawn from a range of relevant agencies and Government Departments and from the voluntary sector participate in the group in addition to four representatives from my own Department. I hope to be in a position to publish the White Paper early next year.
The Working Group on Women's Access to Labour Market Opportunities was established in 1997 under Partnership 2000 to review the question of access by women to labour market opportunities with a view to improving gender equity. The group is comprised of 13 members, representative of the four pillars of Partnership 2000 and relevant Government Departments. It held its first meeting in October 1997.
A Small Business Forum was set up in December 1997 between my Department and the Revenue Commissioners to consider how the administration of the social welfare and PAYE systems can be improved and simplified. It was decided to set up a Business Users Panel comprising of employers, representatives from employer organisations and public servants to examine these matters. The Business User Panel has a total of 19 members. The panel held its first meeting on 9 October 1998. The panel is a consultative and not a report issuing body.
An inter-departmental working group to examine the treatment of married, cohabiting and one parent households under the tax and social welfare codes was set up by the Government in May 1997 to examine the treatment of one and two-parent families under the tax and social welfare systems. The group is expected to submit its report to the Minister early next year.
The National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS) inter-departmental policy-committee was reconstituted following the launch of the NAPS in April 1997. The committee is chaired jointly by the Departments of An Taoiseach and Social, Community and Family Affairs. The role of this committee is to support and assist in the implementation of the NAPS at an administrative level.
The Community Development Programme Advisory Committee was established in December 1994 as an advisory committee to assist in the development of the programme and to advise the Minister on relevant policy matters.
The Community Development Programme Technical Group was appointed in November 1996. The group's role is to advise the Minister on applications received from groups for funding under the programme and to assist the Department in drawing up a list of 30 priority areas/communities of interest to be targeted for the development of new projects over the next three years as provided for in Partnership 2000. The membership of the group is drawn from the CDP projects, supports agencies, Combat Poverty Agency and area development management (ADM).
A National Advisory Committee for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, on which projects and other parties in the money advice and budgeting service are represented, advises the Minister on policy in relation to MABS.
Prior to the transfer in 1996 of the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme renamed disability allowance, from the health boards to the Department, a forum of the principal organisations and service providers representing people with disabilities was established to ensure that all aspects and implications of the transfer were discussed. The forum has continued in operation and has since been broadened to include issues concerning invalidity pension and carer's allowance as well as other matters relevant to people with disabilities.
An Interdepartmental Management Committee on Integrated Social Services System to advise and progress the development of the integrated social services system was first established on 22 April 1994. The group published its report in August 1994. The group published its report in August 1996 on the development of an integrated social services system and now has the responsibility of overseeing and progressing its recommendations. Membership of the group comprises representatives of several Government departments and a representative from the health boards.
My Department is also 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.
Appendix A
Composition of Bodies
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Pensions Board
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Eamon Heffernan
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(Chairman)
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Kevin Brabazon
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Trustee Representative nominated by IBEC
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Kay Brophy
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Nominee of Minister
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Alan Broxson
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Nominee of Irish Association of Pension Funds
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Rosheen Callender
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Nominee of Minister
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Deirdre Carroll
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Representative of Minister
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James R. Kehoe
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Nominee of Society of Actuaries in Ireland
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Raymonde Kelly
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Nominee of Association of Pension Lawyers in Ireland
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Maria Kinlan
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Trustee Representative nominated by ICTU
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Ciaran Long
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Nominee of Irish Insurance Federation
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Stephen McCarthy
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Nominee of ICTU
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Veronica McDermott
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Nominee of Minister
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Joe Mooney
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Representative of Minister for Finance
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Robert Woods
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Nominee of Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies in Ireland
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There is also a vacancy to be filled by nomination from IBEC.
National Social Service Board
The new board will be chaired by Dr. Donal de Buitleir, the outgoing chairman of the NSSB. The remaining members of the Board will be appointed shortly by the Minister.
Combat Poverty Agency
The current membership of the board is as follows:
Ann Lee (Chairperson)
Berni Brady
Fergus McCabe
Fionnuala Richardson
Hugh Frazer (Director)
Michelle Power
Eoin O'Malley
Niall Fitzduff
Clare Farrell (staff representative)
Brian Kenny (Vice Chairperson)
Fergus Ó Raghallaigh
Liam Barrett
Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy
Pearse O'Hanrahan
Frank Mulcahy
Bernadette Lacey (DSCFA)
Working Group on Women's Access to Labour Market Opportunities
There are seventeen members, including the chairperson, on this working group. The organisations represented are:—
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs (Chair and 3 members)
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
National Women's Council of Ireland
Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Irish Business and Employers Confederation
Irish Farmer's Association
Congress Centres for the Unemployed
FÁS
Employment Equality Agency
Aontas
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Department of Finance
Department of Education and Science.
Business Users' Panel
The panel members are representatives from:
Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association
Construction Industry Federation,
Small Firms Association
Chambers of Commerce of Ireland,
Institute of Freight Forwarders,
Irish Coalition of Service Industries,
Office of the Chief Inspector of Taxes,
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs,
Working Group to Examine the Treatment of Married Cohabiting and One Parent Households under the Tax and Social Welfare Codes
The group is chaired by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and also includes representatives from the Departments of an Taoiseach; Finance; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Revenue Commissioners, as well as representatives from the Combat Poverty Agency and the National Social Service Board.
Interdepartmental Management Committee on Integrated Social Services System
The group is chaired by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and also includes representatives from the Departments of Health & Children; Education and Science; Environment and Local Government; Agriculture and Food; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Revenue Commissioners, as well as a representative from the Health Boards.
Community Development Programme Advisory Committee
The committee's membership is made up of representatives from projects and support agencies funded under the Programme, the Combat Poverty Agency, ADM, the Community Workers Co-operative and this Department.
Chairperson: Dept. Social, Community and Family Affairs
Combat Poverty Agency
Ms June Meehan
Community Development Projects
Western and N. Western Regions
Mr. Jim Power, Parkside Community Development Ltd.
Eastern and N. Eastern Regions
Ms Rita Fagan, St. Michael's Estate Family Resource Centre.
Mr. John Bennett, North Clondalkin Community Development Project.
Ms Grainne O'Toole, Clondalkin Travellers Development Group, Sports and Leisure Centre.
Ms Rosemarie Kerrigan, Chairperson, Communities Connections.
Ms Suzanne Nolan, Áit na nDaoine.
Southern Region
Ms Eleanor Moore, Tralee Community Development Project.
South East Region
Vacant
Midlands and Mid West
Mr. Mick Daly, West Clare Community Resource Centre.
Community Worker's Co-op
Ms Rachel Doyle, c/o Galway City Partnership.
Support Agencies
Ms. Sonya Murray, Triskele Associates
Mr. Tom Kiernan, Mid-West Community Development, Support Agency.
ADM
Ms Siobhán Lynam
Independent
Ms Roisin McDonough
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs two representatives.
Community Development Programme Technical Group Members
Ms Glynis Currie, Framework.
Mr. Éamonn Deane, Holywell Trust.
Ms. Mary Whelan
Mr. Mick Daly, West Clare Community Development Resource Centre.
Ms Julie Howley, Combat Poverty Agency
Ms Siobhán Lynam, Area Development Management
4 Dept. of Social, Community and Family Affairs representatives.
Money Advice & Budgeting Service — National Advisory Committee
This committee comprises—
Chairperson, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.
Ms Ann Maree, Office of Consumer Affairs.
Mr. James Clarke, Longford Co. Council.
Ms Mary Griffin, Irish League of Credit Unions.
National Co-ordinator
Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.
Mr. Dan Moore, Dublin North City MABS management committee.
Ms Maura Dowling, Carlow MABS.
Ms Geraldine Cullen, NSSB.
Mr. Seamus Woods, Superintendent Community Welfare Officer, Mid-Western Health Board.
Eileen Herron, Cavan MABS management committee.
Ailish McCarthy, Longford MABS.
Mr. Jim Walsh, Research Officer, Combat Poverty Agency.
Mr. Liam O'Dwyer, Administrator, Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Mr. Seamus Keena, Social Services Office, Mallow, County Cork.
Ms Monica McElvaney, ADAPT Limerick.
Bridget Clarke, MIDAS.
Dept. of Social, Community and Family Affairs Disability Consultative Forum
Chair: Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.
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Organisation
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Representative
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National Rehabilitation Board
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Brian Miller
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Catherine Gunning.
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Disability Federation of Ireland
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Roger Acton
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Federation of Voluntary Bodies
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Brian O'Donnell
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National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland
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Gerry Ryan
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Mental Health Association
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Mary O'Mahoney
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Forum for People with Disabilities
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Mary Keogh
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Irish Council of People with Disabilities
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Gerry Ellis
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Irish Wheelchair Association
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Ann Winslow
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Reports Published by The Combat Poverty Agency November 1997 to November 1998
1. Where Are Poor Households? The Spatial Distribution of Poverty and Deprivation in Ireland
2. Prioritising Poverty: Submission to the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs on the 1998 budget
3. Investing in Children: Submission to the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs on the 1999 budget
4. Annual Report 1997
5. Community Foundations: An Introductory Report on the International Experience and Irish Potential
6. A Guide to Resource Materials for Anti-Poverty and Community Groups on Social Analysis and Linking Practice and Policy
7. Summary of Green PaperSupporting Voluntary Activity
8. Educational Disadvantage and Early School Leaving
9. Working for Change: A Guide to Influencing Policy
10. Poverty Today — Quarterly Magazine
11. Integrated Services and Children at Risk
12. Issues, Opportunities and Challenges for Social, Political and Development Education in the Post-Primary Classroom
13. Summary and Discussion Questions from the Combat Poverty Agency Conference for Anti-Poverty and Community Development Groups on the Green PaperSupporting Voluntary Activity
14. Exploring Contemporary Issues: A Guide to Teaching Contemporary Issues Module 1: Social Education Course, Leaving Certificate Applied
15. Calendar 1998 on Child Poverty
16. Combat Poverty Agency Publications Catalogue 1998
17. Combat Poverty Agency Educational Disadvantage Demonstration Programme Information Pack
