Officials from my Department have been in contact with the social economy unit in Tallaght on a number of occasions and have attended two seminars run by the unit on social economy issues. These were among a series of seminars designed to inform community groups about the nature of the social economy and issues relating to the introduction of the social economy programme by my Department.
Funding for the social economy unit derives from a number of sources. These are principally the EU URBAN initiative and the Tallaght Partnership through ADM, Get Tallaght Working and FÁS community enterprise programme.
I am not in a position to comment therefore on the general funding situation post 1999 as the main sources of funding for the unit come from the EU urban initiative and under the aegis of organisations supported by the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation.
In relation to funding under the FÁS community enterprise programme any applications for funding may be made on a year to year basis.