Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 4

Written Answers. - Departmental Funding.

Noel Ahern

Question:

136 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will clarify the situation in relation to funding from his Department to various programmes, groups, LES schemes, young persons' facilities and service fund, area partnerships, enterprise boards and child care groups; if he will ensure that such funding is allocated to its specified purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16500/01]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

As the Deputy knows, the wide and extensive range of services, schemes and supports available from my Department requires regular contact with a broad range of voluntary and community organisations working with disadvantaged groups. Funding to support those organisations is provided in a number of different ways. The community development support programme provide funding of £17.2 million this year while the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations provides a further £2.185 million in support this year. In addition, the money advice and budgeting service supports some 50 projects around the country at a cost of £6.66 million this year.

My Department also funds a variety of organisations under its grants scheme for the development of information and welfare rights. Organisations such as the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, the ICTU Centres for the Unemployed and Coolock Community Law Centre benefit under the scheme. Those organisations produce publications on a regular basis which are primarily designed to disseminate information on social welfare schemes and services to their particular target groups. In that regard, my Department works with the organisations involved to ensure the highest possible standards of information, particularly in relation to accuracy and comprehensiveness. An example is the very successful "welfare to work" booklet published by the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed with which my Department was closely involved in the preparatory stages.

Under the back to work and education programmes, my Department funds or co-funds a number of small projects designed to assist unemployed people and lone parents to return to work, education and training and works closely with the organisations involved in providing those services with particular reference to information giving and promotion.

The Deputy can be assured that, in so far as information provision by voluntary and community organisations is concerned, my Department adopts a pro-active approach in ensuring that the funding provided is allocated to its specified purpose and that the information content of social welfare schemes and services meets the highest possible standards.