Vol. 520 No. 4
48 Mr. B. Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if funding will be provided for Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy, London, towards their work with Irish immigrants in Britain as detailed in correspondence to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16110/00]
The Díon fund was established in 1984 to assist welfare organisations in Britain by providing financial assistance towards the employment of professional workers dealing with the welfare problems of Irish workers. In 1994, the Díon Committee took a decision to withdraw from funding direct counselling services and to concentrate on the core funding approach as the means of maximising the impact of the overall grant available at that time – £500,000. Such services did not appear to provide the required element of welfare, employment advice or referral service which would bring it within Díon's remit and funding for these services was phased out in 1995.
In 1998, to reflect current practice, counselling costs – as well as locum cover for maternity leave – were specifically excluded from Díon funding in the Díon Strategic Plan 1998-2000. At that time the Díon Committee considered that it would be more appropriate for organisations providing counselling services to concentrate on lobbying local health authorities for funding, and that the provision of statutory funding from such sources would help to improve and ensure the quality and standard of such services. In addition, as the delivery of counselling services needs to be closely monitored by professionals in the field on an ongoing basis, the committee considered that it did not have access to the expertise needed to monitor a counselling service.
In March, a request was received from Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy for a Díon grant application form for 2000. ICAP were informed that counselling services are not eligible for Díon funding as such services are specifically excluded in the Díon Strategic Plan 1998-2000. I understand that, consequently, ICAP did not submit an application by 27 March, the closing date for receipt of grant applications. ICAP did, however, submit an expression of interest for the research project concerning the needs of the Irish community in Britain which Díon has commissioned this year, but a formal application was not received by the closing date of 26 April.
As the counselling and psychotherapy services provided by ICAP do not come within Díon's current remit, I regret that funding from this source cannot be provided this year. As in previous years, the Díon fund for 2000 will be allocated in line with its criteria for ensuring that the fund provides the maximum benefit to the Irish community as a whole. This does not reflect in any adverse way on the quality of the counselling services provided by ICAP to members of the Irish community.
As the Deputy may be aware, one of the objectives set out in the Government's Programme for Prosperity and Fairness is to address the special needs of those Irish emigrants abroad who are particularly marginalised or at greatest risk of exclusion. In this context, it has been agreed to establish a task force under the chairmanship of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and comprising of social partner and other relevant interests, to develop a coherent long-term approach to Irish emigrants and their needs, building on the initiatives already being undertaken by that Department and by my Department. The issue of funding for counselling services to Irish emigrants could be examined in this context and ICAP may, if they so wish, make a submission to the task force in due course.
