Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 5

Ceisteanna – Questions (Resumed). Priority Questions. - Community and Voluntary Sector.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

95 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when community and voluntary groups which made applications under the scheme for training and support in the community and voluntary sector can expect their applications, placed in the first half of 2002, to be dealt with; his views on whether it is fair to such groups that the last information they received from his Department was a letter on 18 December 2002 pointing out difficulties in dealing with 540 applications; the number of these applications which can hope to benefit from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8484/03]

Mr. N. Ahern

Given the strong response to the advertisement for this scheme, with 540 applications received, it has been decided that in order to deal expeditiously with the assessment of this large number of applications, and in the interests of achieving a demonstrably independent assessment process, consultants should be recruited to make a final assessment of all applications received and to make recommendations to my Department at the earliest date possible. My Department issued a request for tender for recruitment of a suitable consultant for completion of this task on 6 February 2003 and the recruitment of such a consultant is expected in the coming weeks. One of the considerations to be taken into account in appointing the consultant will be the time frame involved to assess the applications.

The Deputy will appreciate that as the consultant will make an independent assessment of the applications, the number of applicants that will benefit from the scheme cannot be predicted at this time. All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application as soon as possible following the conclusion of the assessment process.

Mr. Crawford

I am amazed by this answer. These groups were asked to make their applications by 25 June last. They received letters on 18 September advising them that 540 groups had applied and a consultant would be appointed to deal with the applications. Is the Minister of State saying a consultant has not been appointed yet? When appointed he or she will have to go through all those applications. Does the Minister of State realise these are community and voluntary groups which understood before the last election that this was a mechanism which would get around the decrease in CE schemes? Those groups are now being hung out to dry and the Minister of State says he has no idea how many of them will benefit. Surely a budget has been allocated and there is some information as to whether 200 or 400 of the applicants can hope to benefit.

These people need some guidance and understanding. They belong to community and voluntary groups which were led to believe this was one way they could survive but now many of them are on the brink. I was at a meeting on Monday night when this letter was handed to me in order that I might find out what is happening. That is why I put this down as a question. We need answers now and appointing a consultant to extend the time is not good enough.

Mr. N. Ahern

Those comments are not fair. The Deputy knows well this scheme is linked to other schemes arising from the White Paper such as the scheme of support for federations, networks and voluntary bodies. That was being processed first last year but ran into problems and we received legal advice that what we were doing could give rise to legal challenge. We had to advertise that first scheme again and we sought a consultant in order to have a demonstrably independent system.

A budget of €600,000 is ring-fenced for the scheme this year. Individual applications may be made for a minimum of €6,000 and as much as €127,000 but we expect most applications to be in the lower end of that range. We hope to make good progress on this and to make allocations by early autumn or so. There was a delay but it was caused by legal problems which arose with the sister scheme.

Mr. Crawford

I accept the scheme must be covered legally and that the Minister of State wants openness and transparency but the time factor is significant. We were promised that consultants would be appointed to deal with this and I did not disagree that that would be the right way to operate; I had no hang-up with that. However, it is now March and consultants have still not been appointed. They will have to study the brief when appointed before getting around to the applications. It will be autumn before allocations can be made, as the Minister of State said, but in reality the money will not be spent. This is a way to save money and that is the bottom line. This procrastination, by whatever means, is part of the difficulty in which voluntary and community groups find themselves.

Mr. N. Ahern

I have answered this question. We were advised that the sister scheme ran into legal trouble and it has been re-advertised. We have not been dragging our feet. Legal difficulties arose and that is why we and the community and voluntary sector want a scheme they see as being independent. The €600,000 has been ring-fenced and we hope to make the allocations.

Mr. Crawford

Tell that to Scotstown, Latton and other areas.

Mr. N. Ahern

I am sure the Deputy will do so.

Mr. Crawford

I will.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

That concludes Priority Questions. We now come to other questions.