Vol. 498 No. 5
175 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if any grant was given to a voluntary organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 17 under the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations in the past five years; if a current application is under consideration from this group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27966/98]
For a number of years the Department has operated a range of grant schemes which concentrate on a wide range of support for local self-help groups, community development, welfare rights and information work, and on the provision of seed money to enable community groups to pilot initiatives identified as meeting new emerging community needs.
One of the grant schemes operated by the Department is the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations under which once-off grants are provided to help voluntary and community groups working with disadvantaged groups or in disadvantaged areas. Grants may be made available under this scheme towards the cost of renovation or acquisition of premises or the purchase of equipment.
The group mentioned in the Deputy's question submitted an application under this scheme in 1995. The application did not meet the criteria for the scheme and it was not possible to allocate a grant on that occasion. The Department has no record of having received any funding applications from the group since 1995.
