Question:
35 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation on the Govern ment's White Paper on supporting voluntary activity. [10741/01]
Priority Questions. - Voluntary and Community Sector.
The process of implementing the White Paper on a framework for supporting voluntary activity and for developing the relationship between the State and the community and voluntary sector is proceeding steadily. As the House will be aware, the publication of the White Paper marked a fundamental change in attitudes to the provision of support for community and voluntary groups. A White Paper implementation unit has been established in my Department. Its function is to ensure implementation of the recommendations and decisions contained in the White Paper.
The White Paper provides for the establishment of an implementation and advisory group consisting of representatives from both the voluntary-community sector and statutory sector. This group will be co-chaired by my Department and the Department of Health and Children. The implementation and advisory group will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the decisions in the White Paper and will identify any unresolved issues arising in a national context. This group will be of enormous assistance in driving the White Paper forward.
At present, the voluntary and community sector is involved in a process to select representatives to the implementation and advisory group. My Department is providing assistance, including financial assistance, to the community and voluntary sector to ensure appropriate representational structures from that sector. The Deputy may be aware that the sector agreed on an appropriate process and placed advertisements in national newspapers last Friday, 6 April, in this regard.
I look forward to the speedy nomination of the representatives from the voluntary and community sector to the implementation and advisory group so that the group can begin its important work in ensuring the White Paper proposals are implemented.
The White Paper provided funding of £7 million to enhance the capacity of the voluntary and community sector to organise itself at national level, to foster the development of additional support and training within the sector and to further support volunteering. The £7 million has been provided under the following headings: an additional £0.6 million for national anti-poverty strategy networks; £1 million support for community and voluntary fora via the Department of the Environment and Local Government; £1 million allocated by my Department to the National Committee on Volunteering; £2 million within the existing community development support programmes administered by my Department to develop technical support and training support services; £2 million for national federations and representative bodies; and £0.4 million for research to quantify the full extent of community and voluntary activity.
Work has also begun in my Department on preparing comprehensive legislation on charities and charities fundraising. The Government is committed to producing this legislation as a priority.
Mr. Hayes
Does the Minister agree that only when this question was tabled did he finally manage to make some progress in terms of the establishment of the implementation and advisory group? Why did the Minister state last September that the group, which has yet to be established, would be established in the autumn? The group will implement the decisions contained in the White Paper.
There was absolutely no delay on my part; the delay occurred as a result of the voluntary and community sector choosing its six representatives. The voluntary and community sector, not my Department, placed the advertisement in last Friday's newspapers. The advertisement, of which I have a copy, was sponsored by my Department and placed in the newspapers by the ad hoc committee comprising 20 voluntary and community organisations. The advertisement invited comments on the process through which six representatives would be chosen to participate in the implementation and advisory group. I would like to see the group up and running as soon as possible.
Mr. Hayes
On other commitments made in the White Paper, has a national committee on volunteering, which the Minister stated would be established last year, yet been established? Has the Minister designated voluntary activity units in all related Departments and has he provided for multi-annual budgeting for all groups which come under the voluntary and community pillar?
The Committee on the UN Year of the Volunteer was established some time ago and is chaired by the Deputy's constituency colleague, Deputy Chris Flood, who attended the formal launch in the UN of the UN Year of the Volunteer. The committee has dedicated some £350,000 of the £1 million allocated to it by my Department towards grants for voluntary and community groups throughout the country which wish to participate in activities throughout the year.
The voluntary activity units are in the process of establishment. The White Paper has been warmly welcomed by voluntary and community groups throughout the country as it represented the first time such groups had a substantial say in the promotion of the voluntary and community sector's relationship with the State. The sector was particularly delighted by the commitment in the White Paper that multi-annual budgeting, over a three year period, would be provided for essential voluntary and community activity. To date, funding was only provided on a year to year basis by various Departments with the result that the sector could not plan ahead. The Deputy should welcome such a provision.
Mr. Hayes
The Minister should concentrate on implementation, not spinning.
The time for this question has expired.