Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2004
80 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will make provision in the 2005 budget for the fulfilment of the commitment to support the community and voluntary sector as outlined in the White Paper. [28003/04]
View answer89 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason for the delay in delivering on the promises outlined in the White Paper on supporting voluntary activity. [28000/04]
View answer101 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position with regard to progress on implementing the recommendations of the White Paper on a framework for supporting voluntary activity and for developing the relationship between the State and the community and voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27970/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 89 and 101 together.
Considerable progress has been achieved regarding the implementation of recommendations in the White Paper on a Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity and for Developing the Relationship between the State and the Community and Voluntary Sector.
Core funding recommendations in the White Paper are being addressed. For example, in September 2003 I announced some €7.3 million in funding to 56 organisations in the community and voluntary sector over a three year period under schemes to support the role of federations, networks and umbrella bodies and to provide training and supports to the sector; funding of €1.43 million per annum is being channelled to the anti-poverty networks; and funding of some €1.28 million per annum is being provided for the continuing development of the highly successful community and voluntary fora, established as an important element of the local government reform process.
In the matter of policy recommendations arising from the White Paper a consultation paper on one of its most important recommendations entitled Establishing a Modern Statutory Framework for Charities was posted on my Department's website on 17 December last. In early February I formally launched a public consultation on the issue and a notice inviting submissions was placed in the national newspapers. The public consultation will inform the development of the forthcoming legislation in this area. In recent weeks I was pleased to publish the external report on the public consultation.
Deputies will also be aware that an implementation and advisory group comprising representatives from the voluntary and statutory sectors was established to monitor and advise on the implementation of the White Paper. Substantive matters considered to date by the IAG include the multiplicity of funding sources through which the sector must operate, the designation of voluntary activity units in relevant Government Departments, accreditation of training in the sector, support for volunteering and the establishment of good practice standards in both the community and voluntary sector and the statutory sector.
The White Paper indicated that a review of the IAG should take place after a three year period. Work on this review is continuing in my Department.
I have tabled a number of questions on this area. It is a grey area of Government policy and the Minister's reply is insufficient to throw any real light on it. The White Paper on supporting voluntary activity was published in September 2002. It set out a framework for supporting voluntary activity and for developing the relationship between the State and the community and voluntary sector. An implementation and advisory group was established and, after three years, a formal review was to take place. When will there be a formal review? The members of the advisory group have been seeking to participate in a review since May. Can the Minister confirm that he is not stalling regarding the review? When can we expect it to be carried out?
What has the Department been doing regarding the provision of multi-annual funding for the community and voluntary sector, which again is a bugbear, according to people in the sector? There was mention in the White Paper of enabling voluntary sector activity in such areas as accreditation of learning volunteers and an improved regulatory framework. The reality, however, is one of ad hoc rather than long-term funding. Instead of empowering and encouraging the voluntary sector, the message from Government seems to be one of disinterest. One of the IAG’s reviews mentioned the lack of continuity of membership on the statutory side, the selection of junior personnel for the committees and statutory members not being given a mandate from the Department. This sector is being treated with contempt and there is no indication of when the review will be published.
It was always said that the IAG would be reviewed after three years. Its mandate ended in July 2004 and the review is being completed. For now, the IAG as a group is still meeting and continuing its work. Papers have been exchanged between the Department and the IAG but a decision as to how we move forward into the future will be made quite soon.
I have already explained the position regarding funding. This was an issue of hot debate for a time but the funding was announced last year and it is going to a number of bodies. Perhaps some who hoped to receive funding did not, or did not receive the sum they hoped, but substantial funding has been provided to the sector under the two headings and this is ongoing on a three-year basis.
Does the Minister of State agree that one of the most important supports for the voluntary sector is that the recommendations of the report, Tipping the Balance, be implemented? This provides that a legal framework be put in place for the voluntary sector. If this does not happen, the current situation where volunteers are becoming scarcer on the ground will continue. I fail to see why the Government had this report drawn up when it has done nothing about it. It is an important underpinning of the voluntary sector and essential to its proper development.
The report, Tipping the Balance, was about volunteers rather than paid staff and this report is being reviewed. It got tied into general reforms which are being carried out within the Department. One of the ideas contained in the report was the establishment of volunteer bureaux throughout the country. We are in favour of these in many ways but, in trying to co-ordinate the work of the various groups and bodies under the aegis of the Department, we felt it unnecessary to establish an entirely new network of volunteer bureaux. We considered that some of the existing groups could attempt to push forward the idea within the existing frameworks between CDPs, partnerships, drugs task forces, and so on. We were reluctant, therefore, to set up a new network for the moment while still attempting to establish some coherence among existing organisations.
I am sure the Minister of State is familiar with the pre-budget submission by the Community Partnership Network and its concerns that, between 2002 and 2004, there was a reduction of almost 20% in its budget. It is anxious to have its budget restored to what it was in 2002. Can it expect its submission to be received sympathetically and that there will be a favourable decision?
Does the Minister share the opinion of many in the community development sector that part of the reason there is not ongoing support from the Government is the fear that the sector represents an alternative to politics? Rather than the old approach of cumainn and branches, people can now effect development in their own communities, discover the nature of their own difficulties and seek to find their own resources. It is because of this threat that the Government is not responding adequately.
Regarding funding, the Estimates will be released within the next two weeks and Deputy McGinley will see the funding available under the various headings. We are working towards what was outlined in the White Paper, which was fundamentally concerned with improving the relationship between the State and the agencies. The question of how this should be done is the subject of ongoing consultation and discussion.
Regarding Deputy Boyle's question, people on different sides have different expectations as to what can be achieved. Much progress has been made and significant funding has been provided, which was one of the Department's key objectives.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
