Another election promise has been broken. In September 2000 the Government published a White Paper entitled Supporting Voluntary Activity, which was the framework for developing the relationship between the State and the community and voluntary sector. A group was set up comprising six representatives from the community and voluntary sector and six from the State. Advertisements in relation to funding appeared in the newspapers. The group agreed on how the funding would be spent. Last year, because of the approaching election, the Government decided not to bother allocating that money until the new year. In November of this year we were told that no money would be allocated, that this funding would have to be re-advertised and that the Minister would set new criteria. I want answers to a number of questions.
First, I want to know who will decide the new criteria. Has the Minister accepted the White Paper on the voluntary sector? We now live in a society where people are busy. We should be encouraging, thanking and supporting anybody who is prepared to volunteer. Everybody is so busy in life that it is not easy to persuade people to become involved in the voluntary sector. We should be encouraging them. Is the Minister supportive of the White Paper? Does he want this to work or does he want to take total control of where funding goes? There are many worthy voluntary organisations that have applied to the Department for funding. To date they have received no notification from the Department as to whether they need to reapply, what the new criteria are, when grant aid will be allocated and how much support the State will give them. That is very unfair and the Minister should deal with it as quickly as possible. He should reassure these people that he wants to work with and support them, that he is thankful for their help and that they are there in a voluntary capacity, because the days when people volunteered are gone. It is very difficult, in any sector of society, whether in the city or rural areas, to get people involved in the community sector. The Minister should be encouraging, helping and supporting people.
What are the Government's priorities in relation to the White Paper? What is the time scale for it to be implemented? When will the grant aid be given? Will it be advertised again? Will groups who have applied have to reapply or will their original application be considered? What are the criteria and who decides them? Has the Minister met the group in question comprising six community representatives and six representatives of the State? If not, when will he meet them and work this out?
The Minister should be out there, as I know he is. He is somebody who talks my language. He is for the community, for rural Ireland and cities in Ireland. He wants the community to become involved in schemes. This is an opportunity for the Minister to put his money where his mouth is. He has set up a committee which has been approved by Government. The programme for Government and the partnership in relation to the national wage agreement have agreed that this sector should be represented at the State table. These people work in a voluntary capacity. I am asking the Minister to take them out of their misery, tell them what is happening, work with them. We are glad to have them. I wish there were more people prepared to work in the voluntary sector.
We must know the extent of the Minister's commitment to this. Does he want it to work or not? Has he his own agenda that he wants to implement? These people feel left out. I ask the Minister to clarify this and to meet these people immediately. A sum of €7 million was put in place but none of it has been spent yet. I want to know what happened to that money last year. Has it gone back into the Exchequer, will it be carried forward next year, or will it be allocated between now and the end of the year? I hope the Minister will allocate it because there are many voluntary groups that have applied who need the money, support and help.
I would like the Minister, as somebody who supports rural development, to support the voluntary sector. It is very difficult now to get anybody to do anything in a voluntary capacity. We should support, help and work with them.