Vol. 514 No. 6
246 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will provide funding for a group (details supplied) on a trial basis as part of a local resource centre involved in tackling separation and divorce issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5096/00]
My Department operates a range of grants schemes and programmes 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.
In addition, my Department operates a scheme of grants to voluntary organisations providing marriage counselling services, marriage preparation courses, child counselling in relation to parental separation and bereavement counselling and support on the death of a family member.
The closing date for the receipt of this year's applications to both of these scheme categories is 10 March 2000. Any application from the group concerned will be considered in the light of the criteria that apply to the specific scheme and having regard to the many other applications that need to be considered. I might mention that the group received £900 under the 1999 scheme of grants to community and family support groups, towards the cost of a series of seminars.
Funding is also available from the Department towards the cost of staffing and equipping of local resource centres which provide a focal point for community development activities in disadvantaged areas and for work with specific disadvantaged groups under the community development support programmes; the community development programme; the family and community services resource centre programme and the programme of core-funding for locally based community and family support groups.
