Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
334
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the moneys allocated by him to the various voluntary and social groups throughout County Kildare in 2001; his expenditure or proposals in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6899/02]
A total of 72 voluntary and community groups throughout County Kildare applied for funding from my Department in 2001.
The sum of £292,341, €371,196.50, was awarded in respect of once-off grants, marriage, child, bereavement counselling and support services and community support for older people. The sum of £73,000, €95,868.22, was also awarded to a community development project in County Kildare.
Full details of all payments-awards made to voluntary and community groups, in 2001, are available in the Oireachtas Library.
For 2002 the sum of €977,000 has been allocated to the eastern region – Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow – for once-off grants. A sum of €6.659 million will be available to voluntary organisations providing marriage, child, bereavement counselling and support services nationwide. The amount of funding which will be made available to groups in County Kildare depends on the number of applications submitted. The sum of €94,400 will be allocated to the community development project concerned.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
335
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the amount he has allocated to voluntary and social groups throughout the country in 2001; his proposals for 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6900/02]
My Department funds a number of once-off grant schemes which concentrate on provision of support for local self-help groups, community development, welfare rights and information work. The grants to voluntary organisations are made for renovation or acquisition of premises, the purchase of equipment or transport, once-off publications or research or other special projects. The purpose of the community development education and training grants scheme is to fund local community and voluntary groups for funding and education initiatives, for example, programmes which strengthen and increase the skills and knowledge of management committees. The scheme of grants for locally-based community and family support groups provides grants for programmes of self help and personal development designed to tackle poverty and disadvantage and improve family life. The budget allocation for 2002 for the three schemes indicated above is €2.774 million, with an additional €150,000 allocated specifically to the Carmichael Centre.
My Department also provides funding for voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling services. Grants are provided to voluntary organisations to support activity in the areas of marriage counselling, marriage preparation courses, child counselling – in relation to parental separation, bereavement counselling and support – on the death of a family member.
In 2001, €6,107,440 was made available to voluntary organisations providing the above services. A sum of €6.659 million has been allocated this year to support voluntary organisations in the provision of marriage, child and bereavement counselling services. This amount includes a special budget allocation of €50,790 to Turning Point.
The schemes indicated above were advertised in the national press on 14 January 2002 with a closing date of 22 February 2002.
Details of the projects funded under each of the schemes indicated above have been made available to the Oireachtas Library each year since 1990 for the information of members. Details of the groups funded by my Department in the year 2001 are being finalised and will be made available in the coming weeks.
In regard to grants for the development and promotion of information and welfare rights, the information section of my Department provides funding to voluntary organisations for the development and promotion of information and welfare rights awareness. An amount of €761,854 was spent on these grants in 2001 and an amount of €762,000 has been allocated for 2002. Included in this year's allocation is an amount of €100,000 for the promotion of information and welfare rights for emigrants. In regard to community development support programmes, in addition to the once-off grant schemes indicated above, my Department provides long-term funding to locally-based groups involved in anti-poverty and social inclusion initiatives in their communities so they can develop a greater capacity to influence others and articulate their points of view; have a role in decisions which affect them; contribute to a process of change in their areas; and improve their quality of life.
Such support is provided through the following community development support programmes: as the community development programme; the family and community services resource centre programme; and the programme of core funding to locally based community and family support groups.
These programmes are designed to tackle poverty and disadvantage and are primarily concerned with developing the capacity of people to participate in society as opposed to the provision of direct services. To be eligible for funding, groups must subscribe to a self-help, community development ethos and must involve the intended beneficiaries in the management and design of the project. There are currently some 280 projects funded under these programmes.
The CDSP programmes are now administered as part of the social inclusion programmes of the National Development Plan 2000-2006, with funding of some €140 million being made available over the period of the plan. The budget allocation for 2002 is €27.02 million.
Details of the funding made available to projects funded under the CDSPs have also been made available to the Oireachtas Library each year since 1990 for the information of Members.
As the Deputy is aware the White Paper on a Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity and for Developing the Relationship between the State and the Community and Voluntary Sector was published by the Government on 13 September 2000. The publication of the White Paper marked the start of the Government's long-term strategy to develop and support the community and voluntary sector. It sets out the rationale for developing the relationship between the State and the sector and the principles which should underpin this relationship.
Following on from the recommendations of the White Paper funding has been made available in 2002 to provide additional support to voluntary and community organisations as follows: funding to national federations and representative bodies – an amount of €2,539,000 has been made available to provide support for national representative bodies in the community and voluntary sector, other than national anti-poverty networks funded by the Combat Poverty Agency; funding to provide community and voluntary sector training and supports – funding of €2,539,000 has been made available in 2002 to foster the availability of additional training and support services to community and voluntary sector groups.
